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Giveaway: Leap Frog Phonics Farm DVD

January 13, 2012 By

Own anything by Leap Frog Phonics?  If you do, I don’t have to tell you the awesome quality their items are, especially their DVDs!  My kids love them, time and time again!  They are so fun to watch and the tunes are so catchy that even my two-year-old was singing the letter sounds!

In this Leap Frog Phoincs DVD, Leap Frog’s Scout and Friends Phonics Farm is another of the great line of Leap Frog DVDs I’ve seen around! This one teaches early reading skills such as the alphabet identification and sound (phonics).  This DVD is geared for children ages two to five but a late bloomer would love watching this as well.  The DVD runs for a short 37 minutes which kept my little active ones focused since it didn’t last too long.  The animation is adorable and top quality, like all Leap Frog products.

Want to have a sneak peak at this DVD?  Here’s LeapFrog: Phonics Farm – Trailer

 

DVD SYNOPSIS 
Meet Scout and his friends, Violet, Eli and Penny…best friends who have all kinds of learning adventures along with their magical toy car, Axle. When the pets long to learn about new animals for their games, Axle whisks them away to a magical farm to see a collection of letter animals the likes of which have never been seen before! The pets learn phonics as they participate in the  animals’ alphabet antics. The team gets in shape with an Athletic Alligator, consoles a Sad Seal and converses with a High-Pitched Horse as they make their way through the entire alphabet and make many new friends along the way!

 

Buy It

Ready to add this awesome Leap Frog Phonics DVD to your family’s collection?  Buy It!

Win It

Three (3) lucky readers will win a copy of Leap Frog Phonics Farm DVD of their own!

REQUIRED COMMENT: Visit the website, look around, then come back and tell me something you learned.

BONUS #1:

Follow @momof3boys3702  and @LeapFrog on Twitter and RT this contest. The easiest way to retweet is to simply click the green ReTweet on the top right of this post. YOU MAY TWEET ONCE DAILY!

BONUS #2:

Like 3 Boys and a Dog on Facebook, then share this post by clicking the Facebook share button at the bottom of this post.  Follow Leap Frog on Facebook, because they let you know when there are sales and deals.

Other bonus entries:

  • #1. Spread the word about this review by: email, forums, blogging, Digg, or putting the link in a meme. (one entry per thing done)
  • #2. Sign up for my NEW Weekly Newsletter.
  • #3. Subscribe to my RSS feed.
  • #4. Put my button on your blog.
  • #5. Leave a comment on any other post (excluding giveaways!) Be sure to leave a comment here saying which post.
  • #6 – Vote for me at Picket Fence by clicking the button on my sidebar. Be sure to leave a comment saying you did! YOU MAY VOTE ONCE DAILY!

CONTEST ENDS: at Midnight CST on 1/26/12

OPEN TO: US & Canada Only

*DISCLAIMER: I was sent items by LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. to help facilitate my review. Any opinions stated are strictly my own.*


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Filed Under: Early Years, Giveaways, Homeschooling, Just for Kids, Parenting, Parenting, Parenting and Family, Review and Giveaways, Reviews, Teachable Moments Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Giveaway: The Story of Hanukkah Howie (book)

January 12, 2012 By

Hannukah Howie kids bookEver had a bad hair day?  My kids are notorious for those, water, hair gel, etc., usually fixes the uncompromising hair for my kids but in this story, the mom isn’t so lucky!  The Story of Hannukah Howie is a great little story about the adventures of a small Jewish boy who grows up with hair with a mind of it’s own but in the end it turns out to be  a really special gift.  What seemed like just another bad hair day, is what makes Howie eventually become a special boy.

As a mom and teacher, I really enjoyed reading this book to my kids.  We got to learn about the religious practices of another culture and I thought it was perfect because it was during a time when our family was celebrating Christmas.  So we got to compare and contrast the two holidays.  Why would a Christian family want a Hanukkah book?  Simple, Jesus Christ was Jewish!  It also gave me an opportunity to also teach that our Christian faith was grounded on Judeo-Christian principals.  This light little story aided in this process at our home and the added feature was how well the story was written.  It felt like listening to your favorite grandmother telling you a real story about a little boy with bad hair who turned out to save Hanukkah and bring cheer to others!  The rhyming feature in the book gave it that great added touch everyone enjoys in a read aloud.  The text was also predictable so the kids were able to chime in ever so often to keep them engaged in the story.  The illustrations helped in this aspect as well.  In a very clever fashion this book teaches about Hanukkah but in a subtle and gentle manner.  Actually, Howie reminded me a little of Santa Claus a little!  :) So whether your family is Jewish or not, I recommend this great little story!

About the Book:

Have you ever had a bad hair day? Well, imagine eight bad hair days in a row — and at just the wrong time. Our hero, Howie, has very strange spiked hair, but only during the eight days of Hanukkah.  By day eight, in fact, there are “… nine spikes in all, four at right, four at left, one in center so tall”. Howie’s Mom gradually realizes that Howie’s hair looks like a menorah — the nine-candled centerpiece for the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. But just when she wonders what she can do, Hanukkah ends and the spikes disappear.

Was the hair-spiking a one-time event? Not a chance. Each year at Hanukkah, Howie’s hair springs into spikes. Since they are impossible to control, over the years both Hannah and Howie search for possible remedies. Readers learn that “…the only solution that seemed to be there… was for Howie to cover his very strange hair.”

This clever book, besides being hugely entertaining,  presents a gentle message that, regardless of our personal appearance and our differences we each have a role in this life – we each have a place in the family of man.  For Howie, his hair and its particular uniqueness ends up being the crown jewel of his personality!

Buy it!

Interested in adding this great book to your family library, buy it today!

Win It

One lucky reader will win a The Story of Hannukah Howie Book of their own!

REQUIRED COMMENT: Visit the The Story of Hannukah Howie website, look around, then come back and tell me why you would be interested in adding this story to your family library.

BONUS #1:

Follow @momof3boys3702 on Twitter and RT this contest. The easiest way to retweet is to simply click the green ReTweet on the top right of this post. YOU MAY TWEET ONCE DAILY!

BONUS #2:

Like 3 Boys and a Dog on Facebook, then share this post by clicking the Facebook share button at the bottom of this post.  You also want to follow them on Facebook, because they let you know of events related to this book.

Other bonus entries:

  • #1. Spread the word about this review by: email, forums, blogging, Digg, or putting the link in a meme. (one entry per thing done)
  • #2. Sign up for my NEW Weekly Newsletter.
  • #3. Subscribe to my RSS feed.
  • #4. Put my button on your blog.
  • #5. Leave a comment on any other post (excluding giveaways!) Be sure to leave a comment here saying which post.
  • #6 – Vote for me at Picket Fence by clicking the button on my sidebar. Be sure to leave a comment saying you did! YOU MAY VOTE ONCE DAILY!

CONTEST ENDS: at Midnight CST on 1/26/12

OPEN TO: US & Canada

*DISCLAIMER: I was sent items to help facilitate my review. Any opinions stated are strictly my own.*

 

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Filed Under: Early Years, Giveaways, Holidays / Seasons, Homemaking / Housekeeping, Homeschooling, Just for Kids, Parenting, Parenting, Parenting and Family, Reviews, Teachable Moments Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Review: Kiwi Crate Activity Subscription

December 24, 2011 By 1 Comment

This sounded like such a great idea!  You get activities in a box every month to entertain your kids!

About Kiwi Crate

Kiwi Crate is a subscription-based activity service for kids, dedicated to sparking children’s natural creativity.  Each month, Kiwi Crate provides families with hours of hands-on-fun–delivered right to your doorstep!  Kiwi Crate is designed to offer the ultimate convenience for busy parents by providing all of the inspiration and materials needed to inspire creativity and curiosity.  Kiwi Crate projects are age-appropriate for boys and girls ages 3 to 6.  Each Kiwi Crate delivery centers on a particular theme (e.g. Colors, Gardening, or Dinosaurs) and includes all the materials needed for a child to create at least two projects.  Projects range from arts and crafts to science experiments to imaginative play and more.  Activities are designed by a community of parents, guided by the Kiwi Crate advisory board, and tested by kids to ensure developmentally-appropriate and engaging activities.  The Kiwi Crate website has additional resources for each theme to encourage further exploration.  Kiwi Crates are delivered monthly by mail.  Subscriptions can be ordered month-to-month, annually, or gifted for three, six or twelve month periods.

My Thoughts

I think this “crate” is fantastic!  It got here super fast (FedEx) and had fun activites ready made for my kids to do!  There was enough for all four of my older kids to make dinosaur “fossils!”  They are ages 2-9, so the age range could be expanded!  Then when they were done, they had a ton of fun with the dough making all kinds of other things (including a Baby Jesus and a star)!  That was very fun!  The other activity looks like lots of fun too!  They will get to make dinosaur feet and after they play as dinosaurs they can use the bags individually!  This is so fun, and it took a load off of my shoulders!  They were able to play on the table as I made dinner and they had a LOT of fun!  I had a hard time getting them to put it away to eat!  This is definitely a great gift to give for Christmas!

As a plus, the crate is super strong, as evidenced by my 4-year-old stepping on it and it not falling in.  Awesome!

Buy it!

You can buy your own (or for a child you know and love) crate here!  Monthly subscriptions are $19.95 per month, including shipping.  An annual subscription is value priced at $220 and includes one free month.  Three and six month gift packages are also available ($60 and $110, respectively).

*Disclaimer:  I was provided a crate to review from Kiwi Crate and was not compensated for my thoughts and opinions!*

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Filed Under: 3 Boys & A Dog General Posts, Crafts & Games, Early Years, Homeschooling, Just for Kids, Living and Lifestyles, Parenting and Family, Review and Giveaways, Reviews, Teachable Moments Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

GIVEAWAY: @Crayola High Tech Christmas Gifts

December 3, 2011 By

crayola_logo

Even the logo shows how Crayola always puts a smile on a kids face.  Honestly, it doesn’t much matter their age!  I will be 32 in January and I still like to color!  Crayola has stayed around (and popular) since 1903 because of the company’s amazing ability to stay current and know what the kids want.  Their newest items are no exception!  With the influx of Technology on everyone’s wish list, Crayola has come up with some awesome new products!

Imagine your child morphing into a coloring book character and starring in a story with a Disney Princess or Spider-Man with Crayola Story Studio or turning an iPad into an interactive coloring book with the Crayola ColorStudio HD app and Crayola iMarker digital drawing tool. When kids unwrap one of these high-tech Crayola gifts this holiday, they’ll have fun, new ways to express all that inspires them!

Crayola Story Studio: Spider-Man

Spiderman Story Studio

For the child who craves action and adventure, Crayola Story Studio: Spider-Man lets kids upload a photo and transform themselves into a superhero that stars with Spider-Man in personalized comic book they create and color. A free access code inside the kit unlocks the Story Studio application at Crayola.com/storystudio. Kids can choose a super power, story-line, and one of six villains to battle alongside Spider-Man in their own web-slinging adventure. When they finish their story, they can save it, share it or print and color it. The kit includes paper, glossy cover sheets for printing comic book-style covers, binding strips and 15 Twistables® colored pencils to create three complete books.  Available at Amazon for $6.99

Crayola Story Studio™: Disney Princess

Disney Princesses Story Studio

For the child who loves fairytales and wonderment, Story Studio: Disney Princesses lets kids star in a fairytale with a Disney Princess. Crayola Story Studio™: Disney Princess lets kids create fairytales starring them and a Disney Princess! Kids upload a photo to transform themselves into a character, then create a story with their character and a Disney Princess! Story Studio includes everything kids need to create personalized storybooks and unlimited coloring pages – just print, color and bind the pages. They can choose storylines from Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, the Little Mermaid, Tangled, Sleeping Beauty, and Princess and the Frog. With the free on-line access code that comes inside, Pip-Squeaks® markers and glitter glue, blank sheets and binding strips, kids create three complete story books!  Available at Amazon for $7.99

 

Story Studio Adventure Maker: Cars 2

Cars Pixar Story Studio

For the child who likes creative adventures, the Story Studio Adventure Maker: Cars 2 lets kids join the pages of a story with Lightning McQueen, Mator and the Cars 2 characters form Disney Pixar. The set includes 10 Pip-Squeak Skinnies markers, 3 Pip Squeak broad line markers, 2 Pip-Squeak glitter glue tubes, 30 story sheets, 6 glossy cover sheets and 3 comic binding strips to make three complete story books.  Available at: Amazon for $4.99

 

Crayola ColorStudio HD app and Crayola iMarker digital drawing tool

iMarker

Remember how cool it was to receive the Crayola 64 Box with the built-in sharper as a holiday gift when you were growing up? Just imagine how excited your kids will be to turn an iPad into an interactive coloring book using burnt sienna, carnation pink and a rainbow of Crayola colors from the Crayola digital 64 Box! The Crayola ColorStudio HD app and iMarker let kids’ imaginations run wild as they color moving, animated scenes that come alive with music, sound effects and hidden surprises.   The app is free on iTunes App Store with the purchase of the iMarker for $29.99 at Toys R Us, Best Buy, the Apple Store and www.griffintechnology.com.

One Lucky 3 Boys and a Dog Reader will win the entire set of Crayola items mentioned in this post:

  • (1) Crayola Story Studio Fairy Tale Maker: Disney Princesses
  • (1) Crayola Story Studio Adventure Maker: Disney/Pixar Cars
  • (1) Crayola iMarker to use with the ColorStudio HD app for iPad
  • (1) Free download of the ColorStudio HD app

REQUIRED COMMENT:  Which of these new products from Crayola would you most like to purchase for your child, and why?

BONUS #1: Follow @Crayola and @momof3boys3702 on Twitter and RT this contest. The easiest way to retweet is to simply click the green ReTweet on the top right of this post. YOU MAY TWEET ONCE DAILY

BONUS #2: Like Crayola, Griffin Technology and 3 Boys and a Dog on FaceBook then share this post by clicking the FaceBook share button at the bottom of this post.

Other bonus entries:

  • #1. Spread the word about this review by: email, forums, blogging, Digg, or putting the link in a meme. (one entry per thing done)
  • #2. Sign up for my NEW Weekly Newsletter.
  • #3. Subscribe to my RSS feed.
  • #4. Put my button on your blog.
  • #5. Leave a comment on any other post (excluding giveaways!) Be sure to leave a comment here saying which post.
  • #6 – Vote for me at Picket Fence by clicking the button on my sidebar. Be sure to leave a comment saying you did! YOU MAY VOTE ONCE DAILY!

CONTEST ENDS: at Midnight CST on December 17th

OPEN TO: USA and CANADA

Disclosure: The Crayola High Tech Holiday prize pack, product information and prize pack for giveaway have been provided by Crayola through MyBlogSpark.

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Filed Under: Crafts and Hobbies, Giveaways, Homeschooling, Just for Kids, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My Story: @GeneralMills Helps You #sendCheer this Holiday Season! #CBias @Walmart

November 18, 2011 By 1 Comment

sendcheer

It is secret revealing time! I was in the Air Force!  How many of you knew that?  I would be willing to bet that very few of you actually knew that.  My grandfather (whom I never met) was in the Air Force and was killed, my Father-in-Law was in the Marines, I have many friends and family members of friends in different levels, consequently the military is important to me!  I do what I can to support them from sending care packages to mailing my expired coupons off.

When I saw this new sendCheer campaign from Cheerios and the USO, I wanted to participate.  I knew that even if I wasn’t chosen for the opportunity, I would be buying some Cheerios and mailing out the Holiday Cheer cards!

So, what is it?

Cheerios® has teamed up with the USO to "send cheer" to military families by sending encouragement and thanks using special postcards you can cut out from specially marked Cheerios boxes. Once stamped, these pre-addressed postcards will go to the USO to be distributed by them to military families. As a result, for each card received, $1 for each card will be donated by Cheerios to the USO to help fund programs that help support the military and their families. How wonderful is that? You can do all that, just for the price of a stamp, and a few words of encouragement and thanks written! Follow the #sendcheer hashtag on Twitter to follow our participants as they shop for these specially marked boxes at their local Walmarts, and be on the look out for special displays at your local Walmart, too!

For more information on the sendCheer campaign and to find out how you can sendCheer to some military families be sure to check out SendCheer on Facebook and the sendCheer website!

I, and my children, will be making a trip to Walmart this weekend to check out the new sendCheer displays and purchase 10 boxes of Cheerios!  Then, we will be making a few stops to friends and family to drop off some of the boxes to military families in our area.  So, be sure to keep your eyes peeled to my site to see the happy faces and watch my kids write “Thank You” notes to our Heroes!

DISCLAIMER:  This post has been compensated as part of a sponsored charitable opportunity for Collective Bias.

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Filed Under: Homemaking / Housekeeping, Homeschooling Tagged With: ,
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