The Shopping Mama

Mega Bloks Domino Build Game

by Kate on March 31st, 2011 | 5 Comments | Reviews

I love the idea of playing board games with my kids. Well, my son more accurately. My daughter just runs through like the destructo-machine that she is. But, often, no matter how simple a game appears, when you start playing… it’s a bit much for a four year old. We put the Mega Bloks Domino Build from the makers of the awesome Mega Bloks building blocks to the test.

Domino Build Game

Mega Bloks Domino Build Game utilizes simple domino and building game play to introduce multiple skill sets such as colors, numbers, matching, and motor skills. Players collect animal blocks after correctly matching domino tiles. Be the first player to collect all 4 animal part blocks and assemble your animal to win.

The Domino Build game is very simple and straight forward and uses the basics of dominoes – but instead of matching dots to represent numbers, players have to match bright animal characters. Each player is assigned a color and four animal blocks. Every time you lay down a matching domino tile, you earn one of the animal blocks. The first player to build their four-tile animal wins. So, in case you’re wondering, yes the game can end really quickly. Which is a good thing when you’re dealing with the Domino Build target audience of 3 to 6 year olds.

The building of the four Mega Blok animal kind of seems unrelated to the real task of playing dominos. My son doesn’t seem to notice, but to me it seems a bit of an odd way to connect the Bloks to the game. Of course, my kids love building the little animals so that’ s good.

Mega Bloks Family Club

MEGA Brands, the parent company of Mega Bloks, is a leader in construction toys, games and puzzles, arts and crafts and is excited to launch the Mega Bloks Family Club. If you join the Mega Bloks Family Club you can print a coupon for $5 off any $30 mega Bloks purchase. It’s also the first place to go for information on new Mega Bloks toys targeted at kids 1 to 6. They’re also working behind the scenes to put together an education and informative blog from a panel of moms.

Shop! Visit MEGA Brands for more information about The Mega Bloks Family Club and MEGA Brands toys. The Mega Bloks Domino Build Game is available on Amazon for $10.99.

I received a product sample from Mega Brands facilitated by Team Mom.

How to Make Easter Bunny Cards with Your Child’s Photo {Craft Tutorial}

by Shannon on March 31st, 2011 | 5 Comments | Crafts with Kids

Here’s how to make these O. So. Simple. bunny cards:

1. Choose card stock and envelope in spring colors. I actually made my son’s card with chocolate brown, because everyone loves a chocolate bunny at Easter. You’ll need two pieces of card stock and one envelope.

2. Decide which color will be the body of your bunny and cut it with your circle cutter. I used 4X6 inch cards, so my circles were 3 inches in diameter.

3. Using a glue stick, glue the circle down to the card.

4. Print a photo of your child’s face, or enlarge a photo to make the face large enough. I made my faces approximately 2 inches wide. It is important to print these photos on card stock, not photo paper or doing the nose and whisker embellishments will be difficult.

5. Cut out the face and glue it above the bunny body. You can do this one of two ways: 1) you can use your circle cutter, but you might lose certain features or have extra background or 2) use a craft knife to cut closely around your child’s face.

6. Using a craft knife, cut eggs, grass, ears and paws free hand. I first traced the shapes on paper and then cut them. For the inner portion of the ear, I took two approaches. Because the ears on my daughter’s card were a light color, I simply used a marker to color them in. My son’s chocolate ears (I know, I want to nibble them too), I had to cut smaller versions in the color I liked because no ink would show up. For simplicity, you could also leave the eggs and grass off and have a card that is just as cute. Glue these embellishments on using a glue stick.

7. Write a message on the card.

8. Using a tacky glue, glue a pompom on the back of the bunny’s body to serve as the tail. I wait until last for this point because the glue takes a while to dry and you will end up moving your tail around and getting a glue mess if you do it before other tasks.

Now get to it! Otherwise, if you’re like me, you’ll be using this idea to make 4th of July firecracker cards.

Diaper Bag Must Haves

by Kate on March 31st, 2011 | 5 Comments | On the Go

We’ve asked around (thanks, Facebook friends!) and gathered some on the go necessities for families. What are YOUR diaper bag must have items? Check out our list and add yours in the comments.

Felicia of Go Graham Go! always carries disposable bibs. Check out Nature babycare ECO Disposable Bibs (80 for $23). They’re chlorine-free, biodegradable and compostable.

Speaking of eating, Gena (Fairytales and Puppy Dog Tails) and Emilie (Baby Loving Mama) recommend carrying nutritious snacks. Even my picky son enjoys Clif Kid Twisted Fruit Ropes (24 for $15.50)- the variety pack includes three different flavors and should hold hungry kids off until dinner. If you want to bring along small snacks from home, try the Gyro Bowl Spill Resistant Kids Bowl with Lid and Felicia swears by the Munchie Mug .

With summer approaching, think skin care and pack some sunscreen. We like MD MOMS Baby Silk Sunscreen Towelettes and Little Twig Non Chemical Sunscreen.

When you need a distraction, throw a crinkle book in your bag for the babies or hand over your iPhone with kid-friendly apps (we love Juno Baby).

And, of course moms can never have too many WIPES! As Matt, the father of five year old twin boys said, “Wipes are our definite must. Not necessarily for antibacterial, but for general grubby cleanup.” Been there, done that!

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We’re On the Go in March. Check out all of our travel picks and
shop for many of them in The Shopping Mama’s Amazon store.

Thursday Giveaway Linky

by Kate on March 31st, 2011 | 5 Comments | Giveaway Linky, Weekly Features

Happy Thursday! In case you missed it, last week Emilie from Baby Loving Mama and I announced our second annual Spring into Spring blog party. We are so excited to bring the latest and greatest products for families to enjoy – hopefully – warmer weather. Of course, as I write this there’s an inch of snow on the ground!

We’d love you to join us starting next Wednesday for lots of great reviews and giveaways. And, grab the button to earn an extra entry into every Spring into Spring giveaway on The Shopping Mama and Baby Loving Mama.

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Check out our current giveaways on the sidebar and then head over and link up at Baby Loving Mama.

Travel Tot Travel Childproofing Kit

by Kate on March 30th, 2011 | 5 Comments | On the Go

Go With:Travel Tot Travel Childproofing Kit

Why We Like It: While I’m not the most enthusiastic house proofer (I’ve bought the cabinet thingies, I just haven’t installed them), I like the idea of a handy little childproofing kit that I can take with us when we travel. Let’s face it, Grandma doesn’t have little kids living in her home anymore and her house is less than childproof. Everything in the kit is (reportedly) easy to install and fastened with non-damaging adhesive so, if it weren’t for the giant jam stain in the middle of her couch and sticky fingerprints on all her windows, Grandma would hardly know you’d been there.

Items included in the kit are: finger pinch guard, electrical outlet plug covers, foam corner guards, door knob cover, cord wind-up, sliding door lock, cabinet lock, multi-purpose straps, water thermometer, bandages, forehead thermometer, and “shhh, Travel-Tot sleeping” door hanger.

I need a few of those things for home, now that I think about it. Think how much fun a really serious child-proofer would have with this kit.

Go! The Travel Tot Childproofing Kit is available at the Travel Tot on-line store for $24.95.

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We’re On the Go in March. Check out all of our travel picks.

lizzie, izzie + james: The Best Accessories for Kids

by Kate on March 30th, 2011 | 5 Comments | Clothes, Reviews

I hate to think that I’m jaded, but I’ve seen my fair share of children’s hair clips and headbands so it takes a lot to get me excited. When I opened the wonderfully packaged box from lizzie, izzie + james I got VERY excited. The delicate, handcrafted and utterly beautiful accessories for kids inside all I could do was “Oooh and Ahhh” and make my kids wear the goodies. And then I ran to Facebook to give a shout out to this awesome mom-powered company.

Meet lizzie, izzie + james

Happy kids are cute kids. They’re playful, they’re fun, and they make us smile. We want our products to do the same. Bright, Playful Colors. Simple, Pretty Designs. Our products aren’t trendy or chic, flirty or clever – they’re just irresistibly cute.

Everyday Cute

lizzie, izzie + james generously sent us one product from each of their product lines: a hair clip, headband and crown. And, like I mentioned, from the moment I opened the box, I knew these were not your average handmade accessories. Everything from the packaging to the labels to the details and finishing is exceptional. I know I sound like I’m just using every nice adjective I can think of, but honestly the products are gorgeous.

One of the most intricate little clips I’ve ever seen is the Classic Red Hydrangeas Hair Clip. As you can see from the photo at left, it’s a little cluster of pretty hydrangeas. It’s available in several colors and is the perfect size for toddlers, though it is recommended for kids 3 years and older. Doesn’t it look sweet?

I just love the Headband collection, too. This is my daughter’s first foray into the headband and I was pleasantly surprised that she actually keeps it on! And, oh my word, it looks like perfection on. There are some with thin bands – like the initial headband my daughter wears – and some with wider bands. And, I have to say that I don’t wear headbands on a regular basis, but these make me want to start.

These pictures of my daughter’s headband are a great way to demonstrate the finish on all of the products. They are handmade with premium 70-100% wool felt and they are top notch.

My son didn’t miss out on all the lizzie, izzie + james fun. He received the playful Dinosaur Crown. He loves it! And, as is the theme with all these products, I’m impressed with the quality. The dinosaur is on the front and the back of the Crown has covered elastic to make it grow with your little one’s head.

The Crowns feature a variety of fun designs and the Birthday Crowns are perfect for celebrations.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… lizzie, izzie + james goodies are high quality, beautifully constructed and just plain cute. I am so pleased with each thing we received and will definitely buy more in the future. In addition to being a great way to stock your daughter’s hair clip collection, the Headband or Crown is a great option if you’re stumped for a unique birthday present.

Or Not to Buy… The only, only downside is the price. The Hair Clip we received is $8 which is on the high end of what I like to pay, but I can understand why. Whether or not you can afford many pieces, it’s definitely worth investing in one or two special occasion accessories. (All the flower clips and headbands are perfect for Easter!)

Shop! lizzie, izzie + james accessories for kids are available online with $3 flat rate shipping – and free shipping on orders over $50. The Hydrangea Hair Clip is $8, the Initial Headband is $14 and the Dinosaur Crown is $30.

Thanks to lizzie, izzie + james for providing sample products.

Children’s Book by Kristi Yamaguchi – Dream Big, Little Pig! Review

by Kate on March 29th, 2011 | 5 Comments | Reviews

Celebrities Authoring Children’s Books

There have been some very UNlikely celebrities to enter the realm of children’s books. Think Madonna, Julianne Moore, Al Yankovic (you know, Weird Al from the 80s), Steve Martin, Jamie Lee Curtis and Jeff Foxworthy. I must admit, I’ve read four of the six mentioned above and they all wrote wonderful books I love sharing with my children. I didn’t know Steve Martin and Weird Al had offerings until researching this post. Curiosity is getting the better of me and they’re now on my “must read” list.

Then there’s the crop of celebrity children’s book authors that, because of their background or profession, you expect to provide inspiration and meaningful messages. Julie Andrews, Barack Obama, and Cal Ripkin, Jr. come to mind. To this latter list, you can add Kristi Yamaguchi.

If you don’t recognize the name, Yamaguchi is the 1992 United States Olympic Champion ladies’ single ice skater. Other awards and titles are far too numerous to list, but recognize both her athletic prowess and community contributions. She is an inspiring athlete who has focused her post-Olympics career on developing the skills and talents of others.

Dream Big Little Pig by Kristi Yamaguchi

Now a mother of two, Yamaguchi adds “children’s book author” to her list of credits. Though she has penned other books about figure skating, Dream Big, Little Pig! is her first work of fiction. Together with illustrator Tim Bowers, Yamaguchi has created Poppy, a “waddling, toddling pig” trying to follow her heart to success.

In pursuit of her passion, Polly finds she is not an immediate success at many things, but finds support and encouragement in her family and best friend, Emma. With persistence, she finally finds a success, or two!

I left Dream Big, Little Pig! on our dining room table, knowing my daughter would find it there. Upon spying the cover that features a figure skating pig donning pink and purple glittering duds, she grabbed it and asked, “Moooom, can dis be our first book for story time?”

Having previewed the book, I was excited to read it to her and ask her questions. Even though preschool girl was VERY tired, we read the book three times before I had an opportunity to ask her, “How do you get really good at something?” To which she responded with a finger wag, “You have to pwactice and never, ever give up!” And I must admit, my heart swelled the most when I asked her, “Who are your biggest fans, or supporters?” and she said solidly, “mommy and daddy.” Thank you, Yamaguchi and Bowers for prompting this conversation.

Even though preschool girl could barely keep her eyes open, she requested I read the book three times.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… Dream Big, Little Pig! is a wonderful book championing determination and drive when others don’t see your potential; a valuable message for young girls. The story also features a network of support for Polly, including parents, grandparents and a best friend, who stand behind her as she follows her heart. The importance of persistence and surrounding yourself with those who believe in you are important messages that Yamaguchi and Bowers deliver in a subtle manner through Polly, a beautifully clumsy pig.

With your purchase of Dream Big, Little Pig!, you are not only getting a wonderful story to share with your children, you are helping to support the Always Dream Foundation and its early childhood literacy initiative.

Or Not to Buy… It’s hard to view the cover of Dream Big, Little Pig!, featuring pink, purple and glitter, and not realize it is intended as an inspirational book for young girls. Once inside, readers find Polly dancing ballet, singing, and modeling before finding her true calling. And while all of these endeavors are enjoyed equally by boys, the illustrations and phrases solidly support the development of little girls.

Shop! Dream Big, Little Pig! debuted at #2 on The New York Times Bestseller List. It has a list price of $16.99 but is currently for sale on Amazon for less than $10!

We received a sample book for the purpose of this review.

Dreambaby Adjustable Car Wide Roller Shade

by Kate on March 29th, 2011 | 5 Comments | On the Go

Go With: Dreambaby Adjustable Car Wide Roller Shade

Why We Like It: With all of the hour we moms spend in the car, it is essential that everyone is happy. Nothing spoils a car ride worse than a screaming little one because of the sun streaming into her eyes. What’s worse is, they expect you to be able to fix it immediately! Well, at least this can help. The extra wide design ensures that the entire window is covered on those extra sunny days.

Go! Check out the Dreambaby Adjustable Car Wide Roller Shade available at Diapers.com for $13.89.

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We’re On the Go in March. Check out all of our travel picks.