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Explaining to your young child that a new sibling will be joining the family can be a pretty difficult task; Beleduc, a company that prides itself on helping children to learn during their play, have created 5-layer puzzles that make it easy to teach children about the human body while putting together a fun puzzle.
One of the puzzles teaches boys and girls about their bodies, from the skull and outward to what they see when they look in the mirror, and more interestingly, a mother’s body puzzle ($22.50) that makes it easy to teach small children about their mother’s new pregnancy, showing them the various stages of their new sibling’s development. The puzzle is directed towards children ages 4 and up, but I would think could be used for children as young as 3. It contains 29 wooden pieces in all and made of birch plywood, German water-based paint and lacquer.
I think this puzzle is a great idea; it’s always a good idea to back up any close-to serious conversation you need to have with your small child with some fun games and toys and it can definitely be a tremendous feat to portray exactly what is going on that they should be aware of during a pregnancy and an impending new sibling. However, of course concepts like this are novelty items that aren’t always “in season” when it comes to the various toys children accumulate, so this puzzle is a bit on the pricier side.
Would you use a puzzle like this to help explain pregnancy and a new sibling entering the household to your child or is it a waste of money?
The Plan Toys Activity Bus (provided by eBeanstalk, a company dedicated to learning toys and baby toys for educational development) is an extraordinary, safe and green toy for children ages 3 and up that is sure to capture the attention of your children. It is a bus that opens up into a classroom and comes with two little people, desks and other school accessories to play with and is a great educational tool.
When we first received this toy it was right around back to school time and since one of my stepdaughters was headed to kindergarten and the other was headed to Head Start (pre-kindergarten) it was a great experience to be able to let them play school and get acquainted with the school bus, since they would both be taking a bus to their schools. This is a must-have toy for small children who are either just starting school in the coming year or who are still having trouble adjusting in school; this makes it fun for them to experience the school environment right in your own home and get rid of any fear, hesitation or conflicting thoughts about the beginning of the going to school process your children may have. The girls just loved this toy and it quickly became something that they regularly wanted to play with, even now.
What I love most about this activity bus is that it is made by Plan Toys, who make green toys and pride themselves on safety and using only natural materials, proving that it is possible to maintain superior quality of toys and safety standards in addition to following a path of environmental and social responsibility. With that in mind, I would definitely recommend talking to your children about the materials that are made to make their favorite toy and introduce this toy as something that is safe and environmentally conscious.
About eBeanstalk
eBeanstalk is dedicated to providing the learning and educational toys that promote a child’s development…and we go far beyond just toys. Our mission at eBeanstalk is to “plant the seeds that help children grow” while making gift-giving easy and special.
eBeanstalk is a place where you can give expert selected newborn toys, baby toys, toddler toys and toys for a preschooler. All of our learning toys are packaged into a GIFT SERIES, where every three months a new gift arrives that is perfectly suited to the appropriate stage of a child’s development.
Looking for a fun, engaging and educational way to spend time with your child? Then look no further, the U-Play Mat is here.
Designed by Pediatrician (and mom of two sets of twins), Dr. Jennifer Canter, or Dr. Jen as she likes to be called, designed the U-shaped mat and accompanying picture cards “with the goal of enhancing interactive floor play between toddlers and parents.”
The U-Play Mat is a U-shaped, 4ft x 3ft deep mat with 15 large, clear pockets on its surface. The innovative “U” shape allows the child to sit inside the opening of the “U” with full access to the 15 pockets. Your child now has full visual and tactile access to the whole surface, without having to crawl atop the mat. The see-through pockets are child-safe and secured to the mat surface. U-Play Mat comes packed in a cute tote, with 8 outer pockets to store the cards in. Plus, a handy instruction booklet to help get you started.
To begin play sit across and engage the child in a variety of exercises using the adorable theme-based card decks, (ie. Food, Home, Play, Dress). There is no writing on these durable cards, so you can play/teach your child in any language. Here’s a look at some of the things you can do with U-Play Mat:
Exercise 1: Identification, works on receptive vocabulary
Exercise 2: Labelling, works on expressive vocabulary
Exercise 3: Matching Skills: understanding same/different
Exercise 4: Same
Exercise 5: Different
Exercise 6: Yes/No
Exercise 7: Wh’ Questions: ‘who, what, where, why, when; foundations of conversation
Exercise 8: Using More Words: improves on communication skills
Exercise 9: Making Connections; helps with recalling information
Exercise 10: Following Directions process information skills
For more information or to order your own U-Play Mat, please visit http://www.playthisway.com.
This is a guest post by Sandie Lee of Family Matters.
Parents magazine just recently launched the Parents iPlay ‘n Learn iPhone app that will uniquely teach and engage your children to help them learn letters, numbers, colors and shapes.
The iPlay ‘n Learn iPhone app was planned by child development experts and features quizzes, tracing, flash cards and also exciting animations like exploding fireworks, chugging trains and rocket ships that deliver positive reinforcement for children and will also keep them completely engaged and learning–happily and quietly during long car trips, waiting in line at the grocery store, waiting in doctor’s offices, or anywhere else where your kids can become impatient or cranky.
You can get the Parents iPlay ‘n Learn app for the iPhone or iPod Touch in the iTunes store for $0.99.
As soon as I came across Big Eye Dummies’ website I knew I had come across something very unique and very, very fun. Their website alone will make you crack up; from the first glance over the website and you notice that they recommend their designer plush dolls for kids ages 2 and up to immature adults and you know what, they are completely correct in that assessment. I recently had the opportunity to receive Slicka the penguin from the Big Eye Dummies collection and I have to admit, me and my partner played around for it for a good long while before handing it off to the stepkids.
Big Eye Dummies are incredibly cute, incredibly wacky designer plush toys that come with two sets of interchangeable eye and mouth pieces letting you change the way your toy looks by mixing and matching to your heart’s content!
Big Eye Dummies were designed and created in New York City by David Lipson who is a professional Animation Producer and Director. He has worked on television shows like Word World, Lizzie McGuire, Schoolhouse Rock, and also shorts for Sesame Street!
The quality of Big Eye Dummies is incredible; the eyes and mouth are gently sewed down so after you cut the threads you can immediately begin mixing and matching. What I love the most about the toys is that the interchangeable parts are magnetic; they are not Velcro which has the tendency to get pieces of lint, hair, and whatever little easily-stickable things that are on your floors or furniture caught in it and after a while becomes unusable. Because Big Eye Dummies uses magnets to stick the eyes and mouths on the plush toys, they will last a good long time!
Not surprising in the least, Big Eye Dummies have received great recognition for their toys and have even received Creative Child Magazine’s Preferred Choice Award!
We love Big Eye Dummies; the kids had a great time mixing and matching them and I think my partner and I had just about as much fun with them! You can purchase Big Eye Dummies on their website for $19.99 each.
Big Eye Dummies is giving away a free doll every month! If you want to enter their contests, become a fan of Big Eye Dummies on Facebook. Further instructions are provided on the site.
New toys are made with petroleum and trees and sadly, a lot of toy companies do not take into consideration that these are resources that we need to last us a good, long while. That is precisely why it is so important to support toy companies and buy your toys from companies that use recycled resources. These toy companies also use less packaging and they recycle manufacturing waste.
Here are some toys from respectable companies that use recycled materials for infants, toddlers, and children up to age 9.
Infants
Toddlers
- Green Toys Cookware and Dining Set
Colorful pot, skillet, and place settings made from 100% recycled milk jugs; phthalate and BPA-free, and packaged in recycled, recyclable cardboard. ($26.50)
Preschool to Kindergarten
- Sprig Toys Discover Rig
Truck made with the Sprig’s trademarked recycled wood and reclaimed plastic composite; self-powered LED lights and sounds. ($34)
Ages 6-9
It isn’t often that you find a toy that is not just a plush, cuddly companion, but also doubles as an interactive and hilariously fun plaything, but Smooshies has done exactly that and thanks to One2One Network, I was able to try Smooshies for myself!
From the first time I took my Smooshies out of the package I was impressed with it. I of course played around with it first before handing it off to my stepdaughters to play with (what, you thought I was going to let them have all the fun?) Even my partner took a turn with it, interchanging its parts and playing around with it; it was definitely fun for the whole family.
In my opinion, what makes Smooshies so appealing is the fact that it never has to remain the same plush toy you had before. Smooshies comes with interchangeable eyes, mouths, arms, legs, and even other attachments like wings and hair. All of these extra attachments are sold exclusively at JoAnn. Attachments are sold for $1.99 and Smooshies bodies are $5.99 so these toys are very affordable and very, very fun! The possibilities for your Smooshie and the fun you can have with it are endless.
Kids are attracted to a multitude of different toys and activities, but no matter what toys they grow fond of, they tend to have one thing in common: Noise. Yes, as long as a toy plays music, screeches, whirs, cries, or makes some other high pitched and most often annoying sound, kids will have a ball with it and chances are you’ll be in the corner of the room wishing for any noiseless toy to take its place.
Here are some great silent, chemical-free, long-lasting toys that are sure to be a hit with your child whether they are an infant, toddler, or up to 9 years old.
Infants
Toddlers
Preschool to Kindergarten
Ages 6-9
Looking for some great products to make your summer that much more fun and enjoyable? Looking to pamper yourself while the kids are off at camp? Or maybe you’re dealing with summer bumps and bruises. Momfluence has collected some reviews of great products that you need to know about! Check out what our reviewers had to say about these great summer finds. And don’t forget to stop by the Momfluence member giveaways listed at the bottom for some summer winning!
Featured Products
FishBites Swimmies: Spending time in the water is one of the most fun and exciting parts of summer. FishBites Swimmies by Swimways is a great solution to give the little ones the extra security they need in the pool, in a fun and exciting way.
Delsey Helium Fusion Carryon: If you are hitting the road or flying the skies this summer for your family vacation, the Delsey Helium Fusion carry-on offers a lightweight solution for packing your travel essentials.
Do Something Daily Calendar: Tired of hearing the kids say they have nothing to do? The Do Something Daily Calendar offers fun and exciting suggestions for things to do on each and every day of the year. Make memories with your family, every day!
Perlabella Pearls: Want to combat some of the wrinkles caused by sun damage? Perlabella’s Retinol solution helps to fight the signs of aging the can be caused by excessive sun exposure and other factors.
More Summer Fun
Member Reviews/Giveaways
All Momfluence guide reviews are product-provided, featured positions were purchased by vendors. Member reviews and giveaways are not associated with Momfluence.
Easter Sunday is already just one day away. I know a lot of parents will most likely be up late tonight making their children’s Easter baskets, but I went a little Easter basket crazy a few days ago. If I do say so myself, the two baskets I put together for my stepchildren came out great!
What are in your Easter baskets this year? Here’s a picture of the two I made up, do you think I went a little overboard?
Of course our baskets contain the mandatory extreme levels of sugar, which you can’t see because they are buried with a variety of small (and not so small) toys and Easter basket stuffers. Each basket contains one book by Leslie Patricelli, Baby Happy Baby Sad and Higher! Higher! [review here.] They also contain large metallic eggs full of Peeps and Hershey Kisses, candy necklaces and bracelets, Play Doh, two plush toys; one is a small bunny and another is a small bear with bunny ears, both toys are holding small bags of jelly beans, and both basket also contain a My Little Pony.
Don’t forget to check out Amazon MP3’s MP3 of the Day this Sunday to download 150 Fun Songs for Kids for just $0.99. 150 sing-a-long songs are sure to be a huge hit with your kids!
What is the Easter bunny bringing your kids this year? If you already have your Easter baskets done, feel free to share a picture with us!
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