I haven’t been doing many reviews of late because, honestly, I’m too submersed (yes, I consciously chose that word over immersed) in teaching and the lives of my family to do anything that doesn’t involve the two of those things.

Then I got an email from the lovely people at Kleen Slate Concepts about their hand-held white boards and I caved. In my classroom, I use laminated white cardstock as boards and old unclamined mini-gloves from the lost and found as erasers. My students were THRILLED when they got to use these amazing products! (Now they fight over them. I definitely need 22 more!)

The paddles have a comfortable handle, and each one has a snap in marker (that actually stays there until you take it out!) and a hole for a cleaning cloth to be attached via binder ring. The provided markers have erasers built right into the lid, too! They are super simple to clean – just wipe with a warm soapy cloth. I love everything about them but I particularly love that they are earth-friendly and affordable – to resurface the paddles you just peel off the white surfaces and stick on a new one!

Love, love, love this product! Highly recommended for classrooms, homeschoolers, road trips and just houses with kids in them!

This thing is awesome! I have always been one of those people who toss a towel on the counter and leave dishes to dry for several days before I have time to put them away. With the Original Dish Drying Mat (available at Bed, Bath & Beyond and Canadian Tire, among other places, for 5 bucks) my dishes are cushioned and, thanks to the super absorbency, they dry faster so I can put them away sooner. (Yes, it IS too much work to actually dry them by hand. Thank you for asking.)

The unique, laminated design combines a thin layer of foam between two layers of high quality, super absorbent microfiber. It holds 4 times its weight in water! I love that it’s machine washable and highly durable, and folds and stores easily. Mine is 16″ x 18″ but it’s also available in XL which is 18″ x 24″.

Sheesh. I am so crazy busy mothering, working full time, managing a hockey team, cleaning, cooking and just plain living that I have a wicked tally pile of CD’s here just waiting for me to open them and let the kids listen to them in their few minutes of dance party time! As I do so, I plan to link to the CD below and give a quick 2 bits about it. This is the only way I’ll get to writing about them in this calendar year!

I have a giveaway copy for each of the SEVEN CD’s mentioned. I will draw randomly for the whole lot of them – one big winner!

Beethoven’s Wig: Sing Along Piano Classics: I love love love this CD! It’s really funny and introduced my kids to a new genre of music. Love!

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo: Spelunk the Funk DVD: I left the room while my kids were watching this, but they had a blast! They love the hip hoppin’ sound and the professional music videos are the first they’ve ever been allowed to watch. (No skank!)

My Name is Handel (Maestro Classics): A super addition to the collection for fine music lovers wanting to introduce their children or grandchildren to classical composers and nourish a love of music. Delightful!

Colonel Purple Turtle by Rocknoceros: Just click over and take a look at the cover to see how awesome this CD is! The turtle is the star – he introduces us to his animal friends and teaches us how to be a friend, take care of the planet and have fun the whole time. The songs lovely and easy to learn…your kids will be singing along in no time!

I Am Happy with Sukey Molloy: Perfect for the youngest of listeners, this was a winner with our 2 year old visitors last week. Not oficially to be released until April 2012.

La Bella Stella (Celebrate Earth Music Series): Schduled to be released on 3/27/12, this CD is fun, folky and calm. Perfect for play time and background music.

Mo Philips: Monster Suit: This CD will be released on 4/10. It’s perfect for the 3-5 crowd. The tunes are fun, and the lyrics are crazy enough that my kids think they are freaking hilarious!

Comment below by March 24, 2012 to enter to win one of ALL of these compilations! Seven CDs to one special reader!

More music reviews on the way – when they’re done in this format they’re not so intimidating!

RedEnvelope.com is a one-site-all-gifts kind of place. I was given $75 to spend on…whatever…in order to evaluate the site. I was enthralled by the selection as I browsed the site and could have spent a lot more if I was feeling flush. I chose a couple of hanging banners (a Christmas one personalized with my family name, and one with my daughter’s name on it for her room) and a all terrain video tripod that I’ve been eying up at the tech shop for a while but didn’t feel like paying for (which coincidentally is on half price right now at Red Envelope for less than $15 right now!). Turns out it’s worth it even if you pay the $30 – we’ve used it every day since it arrived for our Flip cameras. The kids love it! The legs are magnetic and they hang it from the fridge at all sorts of strange angles to record themselves doing ninja moves. It actually has lots of great features – check them out here.

Some of my favourite things about this site were the huge variety or products and the ability to personalize so much of it. Who doesn’t love their name on stuff? Much of it is far too costly for what you get, though. (Perfect for executive gifts – they’re all too expensive but rich people don’t care!) I went straight for the sale section so was able to get three items for $75 including shipping costs. They personalized items came in beautiful Red Envelope hard boxes, which was a nice touch.

In all, while costly, Red Envelope is a great site for gifts when you have a little extra to spend.

Fun Bites are a fun, easy and kid-safe way of cutting food into small pieces.

You may think “Can’t a knife do that?”

Well, yes. But after the hundredth time you’ve cut something ‘just so’ for your picky little eater, you’d pay in gold for these things! I love that they have no metal parts so the kids can grab them and cut away. They’re much more likely to eat the food you serve if they play a part in the preparation – and Fun Bites are so easy to use that even a two year old can do it!

Win it! We’ve got one set – as pictured – to give away. To enter, comment on this post before noon mst on February 20, 2012. Don’t forget your extra entries!

CLOSED

When I originally received the email requesting a review of something called a “Butt Bench” I was skeptical. When I clicked through, though, I saw what I thought was a pretty cool idea.

The Butt Bench is a sturdy, high-quality patent-pending bathtub seat made of natural wood. This tub seat supports your weight – use it to make shaving easier, or sit down, relax, and turn your shower into a sauna. Butt Bench is also a great bathtub storage ledge!

When the package arrived, I discovered it didn’t fit in any of the three bathtubs in my home because two have tub surrounds on them and one is a larger soaker tub. I gave the sample to a friend with an older house and it fit much better with the standard old tub with nothing but tile around it. Adjustable suction cups attach the back of the bench to the tile, and the bench simply sits on top of the left and right edges of the tub. It looks great and would make a perfect storage solution for large bottles, face cloths and such. I’m not convinced it’s sturdy enough for me to let my child sit on it (because you know they’d stand) and I’m not sure two suction cups give me enough confidence to recommend it to a frail senior citizen – suction cups don’t stick forever and it’s just barely perched on the edge of the tub and could slip very easily if you sat crooked or shifted your weight.

I love the look of the Butt Bench. The wood is lovely and is sealed water tight with beautiful stain (or painted, if that’s your choice). If I were to have one in my home, it would be reserved as a storage ledge unless I could find a way to secure it more safely, or I’d try to find some other creative use for it.

Win it! We are giving away two Butt Benches – one pink ($45.95) and one cedar ($52.95). If you’d like to give one a try, comment with your choice of colour by noon mst on February 14, 2012. Don’t forget your extra entries!

Disclaimer

CLOSED

I was excited to see an amazing new search-and-find adventure from the creative mind of renowned photographer and author Walter Wick released this season. Amazing photographs accompany a search-and-find story by Walter Wick, the creator of award-winning picture books, the author and photographer of the New York Times bestselling Can You See What I See? series, and the photographer of the bestselling I Spy series.

Can You See What I See? Toyland Express, the eighth title in this series, follows the life of a toy train from the workshop to the attic, only to be rescued at a yard sale and brought to life once again in a new home. As readers search for more than 250 hidden objects, they will also notice how the train takes on various transformations along its journey. I didn’t even notice that part until my (admittedly brilliant) children pointed it out to me.

Every book we’ve read in the I Spy & Can You See What I See? series has been of amazing quality (and we have ready many!) and this one doesn’t dissapoint. It’s beautiful from cover to cover, and perhaps even more entertaining than some others thanks to the storyline of the train. What kid doesn’t love trains?

It sells for $11 on Amazon.ca, $9 on Amazon.com and $14 in the Scholastic store.

Each December we love to remind our long time fans and encourage our new ones to get the most for their money this season of spending. There are so many things you can do, costing from nothing to unimaginably ridiculous amounts, to make the season extra special for your children. I say, if you do only one “extra” thing for your little lovelies, make it a personalized phone call from the big man himself!

Over the last five years, we have seen our share of mall Santas. Some are great, some are rude, some are rushed, some smell like onions. You just never know what you’re going to get. With Santa Speaking, you’re guaranteed a great experience. The calls range from 3-5 minutes (single call) to 8-10 minutes (extended call) and I highly recommend the extended call if you have more than one child or one that either really likes to talk or make take a few minutes to warm up. No matter what happens, the well trained (and background checked) Santa will fill any empty space with questions and comments about your child’s life that only Santa could know. Even the skeptics will have their hearts opened by a call from Santa Speaking. SantaSpeaking.com will send you a MP3 of your child’s call and/or a mini-CD ornament to both listen to and hang on your tree year after year. We have listened to our previous calls each December and they area absolutely precious!

The set up of the call is as simple as can be, and they’ve thought of everything in terms of ensuring that Santa knows a ton of information about your child. He knew the names of my son’s best friends, about his classes and hobbies and so much more – all of which I was able to effortlessly enter prior to the call.

At SantaSpeaking.com, you can read the North Pole Gossiper, dance to Santa’s Groovy Hits, get the recipe to make Santa’s fave hot chocolate and so much more. Whether you’re purchasing a call or not, it’s a great site to visit. However, once you experience a call from Santa Speaking you’ll likely be ordering a call every year. From $20 – $50, there’s one that’s affordable for most families. If you do it once, you’ll want to find a way to make the magic happen every year!

SAVE WITH TOP Use the code MB2011 for 10% off your call.

I was so excited to get my new iPad 2 shortly after the release date. It was fun from the start, but I knew I was barely tapping into it’s potential. When I finally made time to read My New iPad 2 from publishing great No Starch Press I realized that there was far more to my cute & loveable little toy than I even imagined. It’s got all of the basics and some great tips for the more advanced techies too.

Best-selling author Wallace Wang’s patient, step-by-step instructions will have you using your new iPad to:

* Find your way using the Maps app and the iPad’s compass
* Get organized with the Notes, Calendar, and Contacts apps
* Set up your email accounts and browse the Web
* Listen to music, read ebooks, and take videos and photos
* Use FaceTime to talk face-to-face with distant friends and relatives
* Shop on iTunes and the App Store for the best new music, apps, movies, games, and books
* Set parental controls, use a secret passcode, and encrypt your backups for maximum privacy

And so much more. You’ll even learn top-secret touch gestures to help make the most of your iPad. Check out this book and discover the hundreds of amazing things your iPad2 can do. It’s $20 well spent.

Win it! We’re giving away a copy of My New iPad 2. Simply comment on this post before noon mst on December 15, 2011 to enter.

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway!

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“Help your child’s early math skills take off and soar! In superhero proportions, this 320-page workbook builds early math skills, while the award-winning Flash Action software teaches essential facts in a flash! Combining traditional pencil and paper learning with high-tech computer methods makes this dynamic duo a Super Value.”

My son recently began working with this math book. As an early years teacher, I have extensive experience with teaching math and with countless worksheets and workbooks. School Zone products are always among my favourites, and this one does not disappoint. My (admittedly advanced) five year old is loving learning to read charts & graphs and is figuring out place value like a champ simply by reading the instructions and following along.

The Super Math Made Easy Workbook holds teacher-created content with attention-getting strategies geared toward multiple learning styles. The pages are packed with fun-filled exercises, colorful illustrations, and simple directions for hours of learning. The lessons focus on strengthening essential math skills, such as addition, subtraction, shapes, numerical order, time, money, fractions, estimation, measurement, graphing, and multiplication. The tear-out pages make great, take-anywhere individual worksheets!

The Flash Action Addition & Subtraction Software transforms your computer into a fast, fun, fact machine that makes learning addition and subtraction child’s play. Children can practice problems against the clock, challenge another player to a game of fast facts or test themselves for speed and accuracy. Set the program to practice addition, subtraction or mixed problems, and the difficulty will be adjusted based on your child’s score. Players can check their facts in the handy chart or print the chart for reference away from the computer. Learning is reinforced with a printed scorecard that reports progress and shows problems to practice. Audio guidance, colorful graphics, animated rewards, and positive reinforcement motivate learning.

The skills addressed in this set are addition and subtraction, sets, shapes, numerical order, time, money, fractions, estimation, measurement, graphing, multiplication, plane and solid figures, patterns, coordinate grids, skip counting, greater than/less than, place value, focus & concentration, eye-hand coordination and following directions.

Win it! We’ve got this fabulous set, valued at $20, to give away! Comment on this post before noon mst December 2, 2011 to enter.

My ‘old lady feet’ can’t walk much without my orthotics. Or, they couldn’t until I found Happy Feet insoles. They’re thin (like a quarter) glycerin filled bubbly little footpads that pop nicely into any shoe (including sandals if you can get them to stay in…depends on the design) and relieve foot pain and improve circulation. They’re made in not-China by American craftsmen and are warrantied for one year. The thing I notice most about them is that they absorb the impact that makes my feet hurt so quickly when I walk without my orthotics. Apparently these can be worn with orthotics but I haven’t tried that yet. I think they’re a perfect alternative to my orthotics when they’re in a pair of shoes that I’m too lazy to get them out of.

Happy Feet’s manufacturing process bonds a breathable, lightweight fabric to a high-strength bladder containing viscosity-controlled 100% glycerin to provide comfort and relief by distributing weight evenly, absorbing impact and massaging with every step. Most insoles that I tried in my pre-orthotic life didn’t do much of anything, so I’m please to give Happy Feet the TOP stamp of approval.

If you’re a woman with a smartphone, you may know what I’m talking about. Even if you don’t want to admit it to the internet.

I admit I have texted a quick “ok” and even opened my facebook with the tip of my nose on a cold winter day.

What?

It couldn’t be helped. I live in Canada and you can’t use a capacitive touch screen with gloves on. Or, you couldn’t until Agloves. Pictured at right (black is the new black!), Agloves are thin gloves made of silver-coated nylon. (Hence the Ag…bring back memories of high school chemistry?) Touch screens work because tiny amounts of moisture, salts and oils in your skin allow electrons to flow between you and your device. Agloves allow the bioelectricity from your palms to flow through the gloves to your fingertips, maintaining your connection whenever you need it.

Great concept, right? But do they work?

Yep! Almost perfectly. Or maybe perfectly. It’s my fingers that suck. I send the funniest texts, but it’s never on purpose, and I’m glad to say that my typing didn’t get any worse while wearing Agloves.

I love the science; I love the sleek black styling; I love not taking my gloves off in -30 temps to send a text. I love Agloves.

Win it! We’ve got a pair of agloves for one lucky TOP reader. To enter, simply comment on this post before noon mst on Nov. 30, 2011.

CONTEST CLOSED

Have you heard of bcharmed?

Neither had I!

This brand new company out of Utah has taken the bling world by storm with their handcrafted, totally unique and absolutely affordable jewelery line.

Jacquie Fleming, a stylist with bcharmed, has kindly provided me with my choice of bcharmed necklace to review. You’ll be thrilled to know I chose that one over there on the right, and it’s freaking amazing! It’s called the black pearl flower necklace ($35 – see? Affordable!) and I completely love it.

I have a LOT of bling (yep – a LOT…), and this one is unique. The fact that it’s black means it matches absolutely everything, and the triple strand really stands out but isn’t so big that my under-tall self can’t wear it. The flower is movable – and removable – making it an incredibly versatile piece. It is a simple safety pin on the back so can even be added to a sweater to spread the style around.

For this and other bcharmed bling, you can shop online at Jacquie’s store. There are bracelets, baubles, stamped charms, soldered charms, earrings and more – take a look!

Check out Jacquie’s bcharmed page or email her for more information. If you’re in Southern Alberta, consider hosting a boutique to earn your own free bling. No matter wear you live, you can join Jacquie’s team and make yourself some cold hard cash – and free jewelery too!

Jacquie’s bcharmed is giving away the pictured black pearl flower necklace valued at $35 to one lucky TOP reader. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post before noon mst on November 30, 2011 and we’ll contact the winner to get it shipped for arrival in time for Christmas! Good luck!

CONTEST CLOSED – Congratulations to Janaye!

My family loves Prima Princessa, and my daughter was so excited to see a new DVD from them arrive in the mailbox! We had a few members of our review team take a look at their new Sleeping Beauty release, and here are some of the comments we received:

“My ballet is back! Yay!”

“This is my favourite ballet movie – I can do all of it!”

“I’m convinced. I’m putting her in ballet class next semester!”

“$6.99? Seriously? Why are there girls in the world without these shows? They’re little girl heaven!”

Join Prima Princessa on a fairy-dust-filled springtime adventure to see excerpts of The Sleeping Beauty performed live by The Royal Ballet in London, England. The animated Prima Princessa narrates the story, and between acts mini ballet demonstrations from students at the School of American Ballet are featured. After the ballet is over, the adventure continues with a magical tea party and fun floral crafts! Including Bonus Features: Tea Party, Acting on Stage, Fun Floral Crafts.

It’s as awesome as the previous Swan Lake and Nutcracker releases with even more features included. My daughter loved the bonus features just as much as she did the actual show. As a new ballerina at an actual studio, she had an extra interest in this one simply because she’s ‘living the dream’ on the weekends right now. It’s fantastic.

You should buy it for every little girl you know for Christmas.

Y’all know I love me some 7th Gen. Seventh Generation is aiming to reach their goal of giving away up to 240,000 diapers to 40 shelters in Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. This means a donation of up to $160,000 in diaper value to a charitable cause that rarely sees corporate assistance.

Seventh Generation, via Mom Central, gave me some diapers to give away. I donate 90% of my review samples to local charities so they’re used to seeing me walk in with boxes full of goodies every couple of months, but diapers is something that shelters are always in need of. I am acquainted with some people who work with the local food bank, the Angel Tree and one of the shelters. I facebooked a few of them to see where the need for diapers in the size I had was greatest. I was thrilled to be able to walk in to the shelter and give something that I knew would be used and very much appreciated.

If you buy Seventh Generation diapers in the month of October, they will donate a package to a shelter on your behalf for every package you buy! Read more here.

It feels great to spend my hard earned money on products from such an awesome company. The 7th Gen shelf will continue to be my first stop for all of my cleaning & laundry products.

I am participating in the Seventh Generation program by Mom Central Canada. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

There are a lot of great options to help keep your baby safe in slumber. There’s just no reason a baby should be in bed with a blanket or loose sheet anymore thanks to products like the Eco Fleece baby sleepsack ($48) from Canadian company Kohlr Baby. These sleepsacks are awesome for lots of reasons:

-2 layers of luxurious Repreve TM (recycled microfleece).
-100% breathable.
-Quick-dry (helps prevent rashes).
-Hypo-allergenic.
-You can choose from an adorable Sleepy Sheepy Applique or TAGS for baby to play with.
-2.5 TOG rating.
-No carcinogenic flame-retardants.

But even moreso, these sleepsacks are 100% made in Canada – for children, not by children. They are safe choice for not supporting third world child labour. Kohlr Baby has a zero waste policy and they are working towards recycling 100% of their scrap cloth.

There are three sizes to choose from: Small fits 2-10mths(29″), medium fits 10-24mths(34″) and large fits 24-36mths (39″).

The sleeping bag style zipper makes middle of the night changes fast and easy.

Yet another great Canadian company – well done Kohlr Baby!

Seventh Generation has long been my go-to brand for dishwashing, laundry and home cleaning products, and when I had a child in diapers they were my disposable choice. Since becoming pregnant with my first babe, I have tried to be as “green” as possible in everything I do. There are some things (like two vehicles and paper towel!) that I’m not willing to sacrifice, but buying from a great company like 7th Gen is an easy way to make a big difference. I just can’t see polluting the earth that I am leaving to my babies, their babies and their babies after them.

For more than 20 years, it’s been Seventh Generation’s mission to help us (i.e. normal people on budgets!) protect our world with our naturally safe and effective household cleaning and personal care products. “Seventh Generation is the nation’s leading brand of household and personal care products that help protect human health and the environment. Established in 1988, the Burlington, Vermont based company remains an independent, privately-held company distributing products to natural food stores, supermarkets, mass merchants, and online retailers across the United States and Canada.” The name of the company comes from this statement: “…in our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.” When I buy products with the Seventh Generation name on them, I know I’m doing the right thing – for the earth, for my family, and for the people who come after us wondering what the heck we did to jeopardize this amazing planet we call home.

You can like their facebook page for great tips and information,and join the 7th Gen Nation (it’s free!) for great coupons.

Win it! One lucky TOP reader will win a 100% organic cotton Seventh Gen Eco lunch bag as well as coupons for a FREE package of Seventh Generation Free & Clear Diapers, Free & Clear Baby Wipes and dish washing products. (The same goods that I was sent to try out for this review – most of which I used and loved before!) To enter, I’d love to hear your best tip on how to be more environmentally conscious (but, as always, any comment can enter, and you can also email in your entry to theopinionatedparent at gmail dot com for you non-bloggy folks who always love to enter!) Canadian residents only for this one, please.

Enter by noon mst on September 25th.

Affectionately known as “The Grateful Dead for kids,” Ben Rudnick & Friends have hit the mark with their soon-to-be-released CD Live in Lexington: Under the Copper Beech. As a bit of a closet dead head myself, I love the sound of these guys (and my kids did too, but whatever.) These are some mega-musically-talented dudes, and their style is really their own. It’s a fabulous addition to your kiddie music collection for sure.

The CD will be released on August 30th and you’ll find it at our affiliate, Amazon.

Win it! Win a copy of this CD! Just comment here before noon mst on August 25, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway!

1. Readers get one entry for commenting or emailing their answer to the question posed in the post.

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I have another new-to-me treasure to share with you.

In The Nick of Time (by Nick Deysher) is about to release the new CD “Making Silly Faces.” Geared toward kids aged 2-8, Making Silly Faces is an eclectic mix of fabulous creations like my son’s fave “Pirates Never Say Please,” my daughter’s fave “The Sun Is Up (And So Am I) and mine “You’ve Got To Have Patience.” You know your kids will love this one, because Nick is a preschool music specialst 5 days a week, and an after school music teacher too. Suddenly I feel the need to take music lessons!

Check it out at In The Nick of Time Music.

Win it! Win a copy of this CD! Just comment here before noon mst on August 25, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway!

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In just four days, Sing Along!, the new CD by Caspar Babypants, will be released. It’s as fantastic as his previous CDs and follows the same modus operandi – keep it simple, silly! Old favourites like Ring Around the Rosie and Ba Ba Black Sheep get a new twist, and many amazing guests artists that we have grown to love join Caspar to help out. Weird Al? Got him. Frances England? Yep. Eclectic, much? It’s pretty awesome.

Caspar says he makes music “to help families sing together and relax and open up and endure stressful times with humor and grace.” That, he does.

Pick it up on August 16th at our affiliate, Amazon.

Win it! Win a copy of this CD! Just comment here before noon mst on August 25, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway!

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I haven’t hear any of the previous tunes from the “Celebrate Earth” series, but this one is as unique as they come. I had no idea what to expect when I popped “Wild Child” into the stereo, but I didn’t expect what came booming out. It opens with ‘Earth Lullaby,’ a very calming piece with earthy undertones (well, duh). It brought my family to the living room from all around the house with it’s soothing beats, and they stayed for an African dance party for the next 13 tracks. It gave us a jumping off point for a great discussion about African animals and the at-risk environments in Africa and around the world. If ever a CD screamed African culture, this was it.

Check out Recess Music for this CD and more.

Win it! Win a copy of this CD! Just comment here before noon mst on August 25, 2011 to enter!

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I’m a new Ted Jacobs fan, and a big one at that. He uses his tender voice to turn some of the world’s most beloved poetry into beautiful acoustic songs. Available at House At The Corner, Back to the Garden is a showcase of Ted Jacobs’ talent featuring some very cool pipes, the pennywhistle, accordion, and dulcimer among others. It’s a CD that I find hard to describe, but you won’t be sorry if you pick this one up. It would make a great baby gift with his soft Cat-Stevens-like voice that the parents will love, too.

Win it! Win a copy of this CD! Just comment here before noon mst on August 25, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway!

1. Readers get one entry for commenting or emailing their answer to the question posed in the post.

2. Blog about the contest using one of the top three images found here. Leave a comment with the direct link to your post (not to your main page, and in a separate comment from your other entry).

3.

Enter your email address:

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or

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Spark Story Starters are the newest addition to our car trips and family meal times, and we absolutely love them! Spark Your Imagination is a family-run, Canadian venture and Tamara Vukusic and her husband and two little boys came up with this deck of open-ended questions together to get them all talking and thinking outside the box.

We started reading the questions on the way home from the mailbox and the kids could hardly wait to get inside and read some more. When my husband came in and started listening to the conversations we were having, he was enthralled. Once we heard what came out of them, we sincerely regretted not videotaping their answers. Thankfully, the deck of story starters is here to stay and their answers are sure to get even more creative now that they know what kinds of wonderful things they get to imagine when we break out the cards.

I especially love that many of the cards get kids solving problems creatively so in addition to talking to me they’re stretching their brains and really thinking outside the box. Imagine asking your child how they’re going to sneak their new pet dragon into school. Just imagine the stories you’ll get – the different types of dragons, the creative names, the methods of actually getting their giant beast into the classroom – it’s amazing!

Spark Story Starters are available online from LearningToys.ca for $11.99, and there’s now an app version of Story Starters that’s exactly the same as the cards for iPhone ($1), iPad ($2) and Android ($2) – I can’t wait to check those out!

Win it! Spark Your Imagination is giving away 3 decks of cards, 3 iPhone apps and 3 iPad apps. To enter, simply comment below before noon mst on August 15, 2011. If you can think of a Canadian retailer that might be a good fit to carry Spark Story Starters, please share that in your comment. There are so many wonderful little neighborhood toy, gift and book stores in Canada that are hard to track down and Tamara would love your input! Let us know in your comment if you’d like cards, an app for your iPhone or iPad, or all three. Random.org will do the work and we’ll make sure you get something you can actually use if you’re selected.

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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We have one family member that is purely gluten free, and the rest of us try to eat less gluten than ever before – both to support him and for our own improved health. We received a box of the Honey Nut Chex to try out, and they were delicious. Deliciously full of sugar, but delicious nevertheless. We wouldn’t buy them regularly just because of the sheer amount of sugar, but they’re certainly a great option for a treat. You should be able to find two varieties of gluten free Chex on your grocer’s shelves now.

As both a parent and an early childhood educator, I love School Zone Publishing so I was thrilled to hear they’d released some great new iPad apps shortly before my own iPad arrived. School Zone is has provided 30 years of superior educational content that is designed for ease-of-use and makes learning fun for children while teaching essential skills. My classroom and home are full of my “old favourite” workbooks, games and flashcards from School Zone, and I’m so excited to be able to use these great resources while integrating technology at the same time.

My children, my grade one students and I have been using some of School Zone’s newer iPad apps over the past two months and, with a backlog of 25+ reviews this is the first one I’m sharing with you – because they are AWESOME. They appeal easily to kids because they’re colourful, provide instant gratification and encouragement and they’re learning with current technology. The other reason I share these with you at this particular time is because it drives teachers nuts when kids come back to school in the fall and they’re where they were the previous February because they’ve done nothing to stimulate their brains all summer. It doesn’t take much, really…read daily bedtime stories (you’re doing that, right?), build reading time into every day, use math skills in your daily life (cook together, subtract popsicles eaten from the box…), write letters to Grandma, and play some great games like these once in a while.

The ones we tried range from $99 cents to $9.99. Prior to trying these, I never would have paid more than a few dollars for an app for my kids but these are worth every penny. I’ve listed & linked the ones we tried below, and I’d recommend you check out these and the many other School Zone apps that are available because you’re sure to find something that your child will not only love to play but that will target their specific learning needs and make school a little bit easier come September.

Multiplication & Division Flash Action ($5)

Spelling 1-2 ($10) was my favourite of all the apps I tried for the 7-8 year olds – it allows them to enter their own spelling lists each week to play with and is pure awesome.

Alphabet & Numbers 1-100 Flash Action ($5) Basic early literacy & numeracy skills with School Zone flair.

Phonics Made Easy Flash Action ($5) Just as it says – nothing beats phonics for early reading instruction.

Colors, Shapes & More Flash Action ($5) Easy peasy colourful app to teach and reinforce basic concepts for toddlers and preschoolers.

Time, Money & Fractions On-Track ($10) Perfect for those accelerated learners in K-1…a great challenge! Also great supporting curriculum for any grade two child.

Memory Match Game ($1) This is a fave for a certain three year old I know!

The Mama Doni Band’s new CD Shabbat Shaboom delivers a fun, schmaltzy, toe-tapping good time for all. It’s a great Challah-Day celebration!

The CD focuses on Jewish shabbat themes, and is sure to entertain a broad audience with its universal song topics, like Mishpocha which is about a wonderful and quirky extended family. Who can’t relate to that?!

The award winning Mama Doni Band has a huge following and this CD is sure to be another of her hits. The songs are a fun mix of rock, pop, disco, bluegrass (or “Jewgrass” as Mama Doni calls it), klezmer, and tango. They are filled with zany and silly lyrics in songs such as A Grape Juice Break Dance, Synagoguersize, and Chicken A La Tango. The CD is also sprinkled with a few beautiful moments in songs like The Friday Night Blessings.

Shabbat Shaboom is sure to give parents a giggle and make their little ones wiggle!

The CD is available to order or download here.

-By Samara (TOP Guest Writer)

Win it! We are giving away a copy of Shabbat Shaboom!. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on May 31, 2011.

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

My husband and I have been fighting over our Stress Ease Comfort Reader Pillow for a month now and I thought it was time to tell you about it. (And give one away – keep reading!) The pillow was developed by James Maas, a psych. prof at Cornell who studies all things sleep. He’s also the author of this book which I have not read, but one of you is going to get a copy of it with your fabulous pillow!

The pillow, which we received from United Feather & Down and which is available from The Great Indoors for $50, is incredibly comfortable to read with (and to watch tv with, and yes I know that’s terrible for sleep, but I so it anyway…). It includes a quality, very comfortable & soft pillowcase with a built in pocket for the hot/cold pack that comes with it. The pack is made very cheaply and it exploded and leaked scalding hot goo the first time I heated it so I can’t speak to that, but I love the design and I may get make a rice bag of similar size. (The package recommends twice the time I heated it at, so it was not user error – be careful if you use this and I do not recommend that you let children use the hot pack.)

The pillow has a nice lumbar support that especially fits my tall husband very well. (At a foot shorter than him, it’s still great for me, but it’s rare for things to fit him well). The only thing I’d love to see added is some arm supports to make holding my book up a little easier on the arms at that angle, but those might be tricky to make ‘one size fits all.’

Win it! United Feather & Down is giving away a Stress Ease Comfort Reader Pillow and a copy of SLEEP FOR SUCCESS! Everything You Must Know About Sleep but Are Too Tired to Ask . To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on May 13, 2011.

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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The Little Big Book Of Life is the latest in Welcome Books’ successful Little Big Book series. This rather large little book is filled to the brim with with wisdom, advice, poetry, short stories, humorous quotes, songs, essays, graduation speeches, letters, and tips for a happy life. It is the perfect gift for a graduation, a birthday, or to celebrate any life-changing event. Combined with the same period art and book illustrations that have made previous Little Big Books so beloved and timeless, there is much to learn, inspire, and ponder.

The book includes 15 short stories and fictional excerpts from authors including Milan Kundera, Ernest Hemingway, Kurt Vonnegut, Joseph Heller and William Shakespeare; 20 poems from such poets as Maya Angelou, Rudyard Kipling, Robert Frost, Anne Sexton, and E.E. Cummings; 13 graduation speeches from everyone from John Grisham and Ken Burns to Jodi Foster and Russell Baker; 10 Letters full of wisdom and advice, including those from Anne Frank, John Steinbeck, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, and F. Scott Fitzgerald; 13 songs, including James Taylor’s “The Secret Of Life” and Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World”; 12 comedy excerpts and essays from such comedians as Woody Allen, George Carlin, Bill Cosby, Whoopi Goldberg, Anna Quindlen, and Jerry Seinfeld; 9 activity spreads, ranging from Feng Shui basics to how to keep a dream journal; Over 30 quotes & platitudes offering insight and advice on how to live your life.

Win it! We’re giving away a copy of The Little Big Book of Life. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on May 13, 2011.

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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I’m tired of silly bands for so many more reasons than the fact that they’re always in my washing machine, so I was super excited to see the return of the slap bracelets of the 80′s with SLAPlets. They’re the same, but better. Covered with silicone, they’re much softer and gentler than they used to be. My kids each received one to review (purple and blue) and they love them. My daughter loves it as an accessory; my son loves that he can slap people’s arms and not get in trouble. Each one came with three SLAPlinx on it – small silicone loops that slip easily on and off. I could see these being used as rewards – earn 10 linx and get 15 minutes of computer time! My kids just lost them within 3 hours of opening the package. Welcome to my world. The bracelets still look like new though, and are more fun than you’d think. Even for me.

“Made of 100% hypo-allergenic silicone, SLAPlets and SLAPlinx are customizable, tradeable fashion that will redefine friendship bracelets. There are currently 6 fun colors available with six more on the way. Each SLAPlet comes with three SLAPlinx and is $5.99.”

SLAPlets and SLAPlinx are currently available at SLAPlet.com, and beginning in April will be available at Michael’s craft stores.

Win it! One TOP reader will win three complete SLAPlets (each comes with 3 SLAPlinx), plus a 12-pack of SLAPlinx valued at $24. To enter, comment on this post before noon mst on April 17, 2011.

Label companies are a dime a dozen now, but Oliver’s Labels stands out from the crowd in a special way. Not only do they make beautiful high quality labels for parents to stick on everything a kid can drop, throw, lose, or leave behind (or everything the mama herself leaves everywhere she goes because her brain cells left with the placenta…or is that just me?) but they are the only kids label company to offer Found-it, their exclusive online lost-and-found system to help your stuff find its way home.

They offer a great variety of products in some super cute designs, and once you stick those cool products in those cool designs on your cool stuff, you can get it back once you lose it!

Buy it and Save! Use the code OLIVERSFRIENDS to save 10% on your order. This permanent code is available in the TOP Shops, where the cool kids go to look for discounts before they shop online!

Oliver’s Labels also offers free shipping to Canada and the USA on orders over $30.

Your Baby Is Speaking To You: A Visual Guide to the Amazing Behaviors of Your Newborn and Growing Baby by Dr. Kevin Nugent is a brand spankin’ new release that is going to be added to my default baby gift list. It’s a great addition to the library of new parents. It’s tenderly written, easy to read and the photography is stunning.

Each two-page spread has a full-page photo of an infant smiling, sleeping, crying, holding a finger or gazing into space, with an eloquent and non-judgemental explanation of what the child is communicating to you non-verbally. As a new parent, it provides invaluable knowledge and just may keep you off the phone with your pediatrician or health-link nine times out of ten.

The book is divided into seven sections: Sleeping, Crying, Eating (The Sleeping Baby, Deep Sleep, Light Sleep, The Full Cry, Fussing, The Search Response, Feeding), The Amazing Newborn (The Fencer Response, Hand to Mouth, The Sleep Smile, First Steps, Hands, Pre-Reaching, The Smile of Discovery, Crawling, Feet, Yawning), Your Baby’s Senses (Responding to Sounds, Visual Exploration, Touch, Cuddliness, The Not Very Cuddly Baby), Settling In (Startles, Drowsiness, Overstimulation, Signs of Distress, Soothability, The Not Easily Settled Baby), The Social Newborn (Looking Into Your Eyes, Feeding and Communication, The Power of Your Voice, Imitation, Learning, Temperament, The Social Smile), The Growing Baby (Reaching Out, Exploring, Empathy, Learning to Love), Parent and Baby and the Lifelong Bond. It covers the first few months of life, after which those little beings get a lot easier to figure out.

Check out the book on YouTube too.

Buy it from our affiliate, Amazon.

Win it! We’re giving away a copy of Your Baby Is Speaking To You. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on March 12, 2011.

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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When I first got the pitch asking me to review The Text Hook, I laughed, thought how stupid I’d look texting while I walk my kid around in a stroller and how ridiculous people are now with their phones, and ignored the email. Fast forward several months. I’m on my elliptical trainer which has recently moved to a spare bedroom and out of the main room so now there’s no tv to watch. I’m dying of boredom and claustrophobia with the wall beside me. Bing! I wonder if that product I was emailed about a few months ago would work on the elliptical? After digging out the email and requesting the product sample, I promptly forgot about it. There were some (okay, only a couple of them…I suck…) workouts in between the email and the arrival of the package which were only sustained by leaning my Kindle on the console.

When the package arrived, I was excited to get it all hooked up. I don’t use a stroller anymore, but the Text Hook fits perfectly on the top bars of our elliptical and treadmill, and also on my bike. (I tried in the garage – I’d never try to text and bike, but it might be handy for music on a leisurely ride?) I love being able to have a movie or music playing on my phone during a workout in a location that’s easy to see. The Text Hook is perfect for it! My phone, the Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant, is not in their list of compatible phones but it fits perfectly. So does iPod. The patent-pending design secured my phone tightly but I still have access to the entire screen, and it’s very adjustable -even rotating 180° so I can watch my movie the big-screen way!

The Text Hook sells for $26 and is available from their online shop and many retail stores.

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Wall Candy Arts makes some cool stuff. I’m a vinyl addict and my home is covered in it, so it’s nice to branch out and be able to stick something else on my wall and know it will come off when I’m tired of it without doing any damage.

Perfect for any loving family is the chalkboard heart ($36) – a great place to write notes to those you love. The set includes 1 large chalkboard heart (22 1/4″ x 19″), 2 medium hearts (4 3/8″ x 3 3/4″), 5 small hearts and XOXO. Chalk is also included.

Also super cool, large stick-on whiteboard panels ($58) are perfect for listing long recipe steps on the backsplash above the stove, making large refrigerator doors a place for doodling, or creating a stretch of writing space in a home or office entryway. It comes with four 19″x24″ stick on white board panels that can be used separately or combined for a large 49″x38″ surface.

Win it! Enter to win a CHALKBOARD HEART set! Just comment here before noon mst on Mar. 11, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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I don’t review a ton of food, but when I do I find it’s either really good or really bad.

We were recently sent two bottles of Garlic Gold vinaigrette dressing to try out – one with balsamic vinegar and one with red wine vinegar. We just tried them out this weekend and I’m impressed. The ingredients are spectacular – full disclosure and all organic. They’re a blend of pure, organic extra virgin olive oil (infused with organic garlic), plus organic cask-aged balsamic vinegar of Modena, and organic red wine vinegar. They organic Italian seasonings, sea salt and organic black pepper. Just like you’d make yourself in your own kitchen, but without having to wash dishes afterward. The Balsamic one was certainly my favourite, but I’m addicted to balsamic vinegar so I could have predicted that. It was great on salad, and as a bread dip. The red wine one smelled delicious, so I was shocked when my husband said it tasted like plain olive oil. I think he (a) didn’t shake it enough and (b) had whacky taste buds due to a cold, because I tried it and it tasted like salad dressing. A little oily, to be sure, but it’s based from organic garlic-infused olive oil so it makes sense. I didn’t get to try the Mayer Lemon one, which is vinegar free, but I’d sure love to. I’ve never seen these products in stores around here but they’re available for $7 from the web-store along with a few other garlic products.

A little bit about Seven Oaks Ranch from their website:
The organic home of Garlic Gold® started at the Seven Oaks Ranch, a 12.5 acre organic ranch nestled in the Ojai Valley. Certified organic for more than seven years, the Ranch still grows and distributes organic produce such as tomatoes, avocadoes, Meyer lemons, Hass avocadoes and of course, garlic. Garlic Gold® has grown substantially, and we now source our certified organic garlic and oils from around the globe. Proponents of sustainability, Seven Oaks creates all of it’s products by hand, and when possible utilizes electric and hybrid vehicles. At our production facility located in Ventura, CA, we operate a certified organic kitchen, (the only one we know of in Ventura County), where great care is taken to hand craft each of our unique products.

There are three of Putamayo’s latest that we are really loving both in my home and in my classroom.

Putamayo South Africa is a collection that celebrates the rich musical diversity of this unique country at the southern tip of Africa. With the soccer World Cup taking place for the first time on African soil last year, international attention was focused on South Africa and its postapartheid status as a democracy and economic powerhouse. What a great way to introduce your family to the wonder of Africa!

Putumayo Latin Party is perhaps their most diverse Latin release yet. The mesmerizing grooves and tantalizing rhythms of Latin music have been leading people to the dance floor for decades and this CD is no exception. You can’t help but start to move your hips when the music starts to play! It includes a mix of boogaloo, funk, cumbia, son, salsa, ska and dancehall.

Putumayo Yoga is Putumayo’s first CD release featuring songs selected to accompany yoga practice and serve as a relaxing soundtrack for daily life. It’s a perfect combination of relaxing and energizing.

Win it! Enter to win one of ALL THREE of these great Putumayo offerings! Just comment here before noon mst on Feb. 26, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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The folks at Cradle Rock sent me three CDs to review – the only three currently available in their collection. Cradle Rock is a series of children’s lullaby albums produced and created by Brash Music and Tree Top Records, which hit stores and digital distribution channels last October. Cradle Rock uses vibraphones, glockenspiels and mellotrons to turn iconic songs and albums by famous artists into naptime-friendly listening material. Sadly, the only three they have so far are from artists I can’t stand.

If you have a baby and are into country music or bad eighties pop, though, these may be for you: Michael Jackson, Kenny Chesney and Johnny Cash.

They’ve got plans for Black Eyed Peas, U2, Pink Floyd and more, which I’d be all over. Until then, I’ll leave the country twang for those who don’t feel like clawing their ears off when they hear it.

Check our Cradle Rock’s website for information about the upcoming releases.

Uncle Rock’s fourth and newest CD, The Big Picture features twelve original songs (and two covers, including Carol Burnett’s theme song) is a tribute to his favourite artists – David Bowie, The Ramones, Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash and more. To create the huge picture that is The Big Picture, Uncle Rock (AKA singer-songwriter, author & bassist Robert Burke Warren) collaborated with Dean Jones, the man behind another band we love – Dog On Fleas. They’ve created this fantastic collection of singalong songs that you’re going to want to add to your music collection asap.

Before he was fondly named Uncle Rock by his nephew, Robert Burke Warren performed as a bass player in some big rock and roll bands and spent a year portraying Buddy Holly in Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story in London’s West End. He has also co-written songs for multi-Grammy winner Rosanne Cash and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Wanda Jackson. That’s some talent, right there.

Buy The Big Picture from Amazon.

Win it! Enter to win one of THREE copies of The Big Picture! Just comment here before noon mst on Feb. 26, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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With a song called “Mama Tooted” it should be obvious that I’d like this CD.

Keller Williams sings bluegrass, and after fifteen albums this is his first kids’ CD. He sings with his daughter on a few tracks, which my kids really enjoyed. They lyrics are catchy and simple to sing along to, and Oh! The goats on the cover – soooo cute! Kids. Ha!

Though it’s definitely G-rated, there are some great lyrics that will make the adults crack a smile. A great CD for a family with children under 10.

Win it! Enter to win a copy of Kids! Just comment here before noon mst on Feb. 26, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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The sound of Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem is pure joy; family style. I’ve been listening to their newest CD, Ranky Tanky, with my kids today, and we’re all diggin’ it. This groovy set from the New England-based quartet is the first I’ve heard of them but they’re certainly not new to the music scene. Their folksy style has been heard all around, but this is their first CD aimed directly at families. It is, in my opinion, best for the younger set…maybe 18 mos-5 years. It’s a bit childish for the older kids, but if they were feeling ultra silly I’m sure they’d enjoy it too.

Buy it from Amazon.

Win it! Enter to win a copy of Ranky Tanky! Just comment here before noon mst on Feb. 26, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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All I Want, pictured at right, is David Weinstone’s thirteenth ‘Music for Aardvarks’ production but the first I’ve ever heard of him. Apparently I’ve been living under a rock because in doing my research I see that he’s on tv all the time. Even before I listened to the CD, I read the press release. In it, David Weinstone says, “In a world where children are bombarded with external stimuli from screens of all sizes and classes of all manner at an increasingly younger age (baby yoga meditation class! — Is that even possible?), and parents are busier than ever just trying to make ends meet, the core needs of our children remain the same. What kids need and really want from parents is simple: time and attention.”

Thank goodness people like this are on tv, even if I missed him. That’s a message I want my children and people of all ages around the world receiving, and what better way to deliver it than through music.

I did listen to the CD though, and once the kids caught wind of it we listened to it a lot more than once. It’s pretty fabulous – quirky and a whole lot of fun.

Buy it from the Music for Aardvark shop after the March 8, 2011 release date.

Win it! Enter to win a copy of All I Want! Just comment here before noon mst on Feb. 26, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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When we reviewed Justin Roberts’ CD, Pop Fly we knew he’d continue to be a favourite for a while, but you have no idea how glad I was to receive a copy of Jungle Gym and switch it out. I love Justin’s music, but the same songs day in and day out can get to a mama so it’s great to be able to enjoy his sound with a bit more variety!

Jungle Gym was nominated for a 2011 Grammy, and it’s certainly worthy. It takes you through some great memories from your childhood – the parachute in gym class, snow days, and the fun of trick or treating – and encourages some great conversations with your kids about how childhood has changed between then and now.

Love this one!

Win it! Enter to win a copy of Jungle Gym! Just comment here before noon mst on Feb. 26, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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Again with the two-months-late-ten-months-early thing. It’s Santa Claus!, the holiday CD from Ben Rudnick & Friends, is a super high spirited CD that we loved for our Christmas parties this past Christmas season. My son actually still has it in his bedroom and rotates it into his CD player occasionally. Yes, even in February. I suppose that’s how you know it’s a great CD for kids, but the whole family enjoyed this one. I’m still a Kenny G fan, but Ben Rudnick & Friends are much more fun, if fun is what you’re looking for!

At the time of posting, -it’s less than $12 at Amazon! I guess that’s the benefit of shopping for Christmas music at the end of February.

Listen and buy it here. (affiliate link)

Win it! Enter to win a copy of It’s Santa Claus! Just comment here before noon mst on Feb. 26, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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Billy Kelly’s upcoming CD, his third, The Family Garden, (due to be released April 5, 2011) is the first of his I’ve heard and my family is happy to add him to our ever- growing collection of tunes. It’s incredibly upbeat and peppy, and features a wide array of musical stylings – country (not my fave) to ragtime to rock. Though country music is like nails on a chalkboard for me, the country-ish tunes on this CD are good enough to make me forget they’re country and I find myself singing along with the kids. For a family with a range of tastes, this CD would be a great addition to your collection. There’s something for all y’all.

It will be available from Billy’s store for $12 as of April 5.

Win it! Enter to win a copy of The Family Garden! Just comment here before noon mst on Feb. 26, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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When Didi Pop (Deborah Poppink) first visited Hawaii as a child, her family stayed at the Polynesian Cultural Center where she learned about Hawaiian culture. With DidiPop Goes to Hawaii, she shares what she has learned “in the Hawaiian way—through stories and song.” Going to Hawaii is crazy expensive, and now you and your whole family can go without leaving the comfort of your own home!

The 13 original tracks on DidiPop Goes to Hawaii will take your family to Maui (Wowie Gazowie!), encourage you to try mango, remind you not to sit under a coconut tree and so much more.

The CD plus the digital album is only $15 at her shop, or you can get any of her MP3s FREE! Yes, you read that right – totally and absolutely free!

Check out the video for “I Like Pigs” on YouTube – so cute!

Win it! Enter to win a copy of Didi Pop goes to Hawaii! Just comment here before noon mst on Feb. 26, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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This is our second Joanie Leeds CD and I’m thrilled to share with you that the kids love it as much as the first one (I’m a Rock Star!). It’s got a distinctly different sound than the last one did, but that’s not a bad thing. What I really love about Joanie’s music is that the adults don’t feel like they need to leave the room and let the kids enjoy it alone. It’s great for the whole family.

This CD has ten Joanie originals and four covers, each with their own style. She and her band, the Nightlights, share thought provoking and educational lyrics while still making the CD a ton of fun to listen to. “My Butterfly” teaches all about metamorphosis, “Sea Cow” and “Big Blue Whale” explore endangered species, and “Tofurky” emphasizes responsible eating. Other songs are just plain fun, but the cover of the Phish song “Possum” does let kids know what happens when you don’t look both ways when crossing the street!

01) All The Animals
02) Mosquitoes
03) Froggie Went A Courtin’ (Featuring Secret Agent 23 Skidoo)
04) Big Blue Whale
05) Happy As a Clam
06) Hummingbird
07) Sea Cow
08) Possum
09) Tofurky Song
10) If You Go
11) Animals in Concert
12) My Butterfly
13) Pony Boy
14) Wimoweh

The CD will be released April 12th (a great addition to your child’s Easter basket!) so be sure to pick up a copy as soon as you can. Or you can try to…

Win it! Enter to win a copy of of What A Zoo! Just comment here before noon mst on Feb. 26, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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Journey rocks.

Being able to listen to the music of your youth while soothing a newborn to sleep ROCKS!

Rocking is what Rockabye Baby! does best. They’ve remixed many of the bands from the good old rockin’ eighties (and more, but I’m an eighties girl so that’s what really matters to me) – punk, metal and classic rock – and made them soft enough to rock your babe to.

As they say, “making an album that’s gentle enough for sleeping babies but won’t bore Mom and Dad is trickier than it sounds.” They’ve done a heck of a good job.

I love that you can get a download card for less than $15 for any CD in their shop, and the new parents in question can pick whatever band reminds them of their youth – babified. The download card comes housed in a beautiful, eco-friendly package containing a digital download card good for one Rockabye Baby! album, an exclusive download code, and clear instructions for downloading, along with a healthy baby food recipe, paper dolls, a mini baby book , and Rockabye Baby! temporary tattoos.

Win it! Enter to win a Rockabye Baby! download card! Just comment here before noon mst on Feb. 26, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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Many Hands – Family Music for Haiti is a CD you’ll buy for the cause, but play over and over again because it’s awesome.

It’s not “Kids Music.” It’s “Family Music.”

Yes, there’s a difference.

Even you, the one who can already read this post fluently, will like it!

It’s a compilation that raises awareness of, and funds for, the continuing needs of the Haitian people after last year’s earthquake. It features tracks from Jonathan Coulton, They Might Be Giants, Dan Zanes, Elizabeth Mitchell, Lunch Money, Frances England, Secret Agent 23 Skiddoo, and many, many more.

Preview songs and buy it from our affiliate, Amazon for less than thirteen bucks!

Win it! Enter to win a copy of Family Music for Haiti! Just comment here before noon mst on Feb. 26, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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Recess Monkey rocks – we’ve never listened to one of their songs that we didn’t like, and the new release The Final Funktier is no different. They’re a group of teachers from Seattle who must be even more fun in the classroom than I am! The teachers, Jack Forman, Daron Henry, and Drew Holloway, have three distinct voices that melt together like good chocolate in a way that’s super entertaining for kids but not annoying in the least for parents.

This CD brings you Recess Monkey in outer space, which was a big hit in the mind of my almost-five year old who currently aspires to be an astronaut. Or a dentist in outer space who designs stuff. Whatever.

Jack notes: “We like to wordsmith and are big-time pun fans. On The Final Funktier there’s a song about how a booster seat is like a booster rocket, another song about what space elevator music might sound like, and even one about a ukulele-playing alien called Ukulalien. Laughter permeates our experiences with kids, in the classroom and out!” (~Amazon)

Listen and buy it from Amazon.

Win it! Enter to win a copy of The Final Funktier. Just comment here before noon mst on Feb. 26, 2011 to enter!

Multiple entries are available for every TOP giveaway! Click here for details if you’re not familiar with them.

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