I am such a blanket snob since having children. I will admit that I’ve given many brand new blankets gifted to us to the local charity simply because there are better ones out there and why should my child snuggle with anything but the best? (I know, I’m horrible.)

My daughter sleeps under one of the great quilted fleece blankets from Designs by Mimi and Lola that was personalized for her and it surpasses even my blanket snob standards.

Made by a mother and daughter team, the non-pilling double layer premium polar fleece is the plushest of plush and the crafts(wo)manship is second to none. You know when you pick up an item and you can’t help but moan a little? A Mimi and Lola blanket just might make you moan twice.

They’re available in three sizes - baby (27″ x 36″), toddler (38″ x 49″) and kids (51″ x 59″) and they range from a very reasonable $43-$98. They’re machine wash & dry and my daughter’s blanket has yet to show even the slightest sign of wear. To order, see their order page. Matching pillows are also available for just $20-$25.

Save 10% on your order simply by mentioning that you’re a reader of The Opinionated Parent!

Win it! We’ve got a baby size blanket up for grabs, personalized with your child’s name and valued at $48. To enter, leave a comment on this post with your choice of either the awesome pre-designed blankets in their collection or the three colours you’d choose from the palette at the bottom of the collection page. Contest closes at noon MST on July 4/08.

Additional entries available - up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

What child doesn’t like to build forts? None that I know, and as a mother and a teacher I know hundreds.

Parents, though, aren’t always huge fans of finding every sheet and blanket from their linen closet draped over the kitchen and living room furniture. Invest in a Fortamajig and you’ll never come home to an empty linen closet again.

The Fortamajig, created by The Happy Kid Company, is a far better alternative to sheets even if you are the mom that doesn’t mind re-washing and re-folding them repeatedly as-nauseum. It’s a fort, a tent, a drawing room for a tea-party, an art studio, a bug museum, a library or a barn. It’s whatever you want it to be. Limited only by your imagination, the genius easy to use (see?) Fortamajig is an 8×8 foot piece of ripstop nylon with slits, windows and 24 velcro loops sewn at strategic locations allowing children to build and re-build a variety of play structures using chairs, trees, stair rails or anything else you can dream up. Packaged in a tote with no pieces to break or lose - and is really the ultimate in portable, washable, storable and durable open-ended toys. We have used the Fortamajig with kids aged 2-72 and every one of them adored it.

The single layer Fortamajig retails for $70 and the double layer reversibles and the cool new Connectables retail for $90. Both can be ordered from their online shop.

Save 10% off your entire order through August 1, 2008 with the code opinion.

Why are children so fascinated with marbles? There’s just something about them that never gets old. Mine all love to watch them roll!

My children currently have a wooden set of blocks that they often set up for a marble run, but they’re going in the donation bin after finding the Q-BA-MAZE Marble Run! This really sets the imagination into orbit!

Founded by architect Andrew Comfort, Q-BA-MAZE is a toy but so much more - it’s right-brained and left-brained, part art and part science. There are literally thousands of options for making marble runs. Children can build any shape their mind can fathom with these cool interlocking, durable polycarbonate pieces, or they can go online and choose a plan to build. Come up with a cool design of your own? You can submit it online to the guys at Q-BA-MAZE to see if it makes the cut to be added to their site. (Here’s the plan for the pictured design made with Q50 in red.)

Q-BA-MAZE sets come in 20 or 50 packs, and you can choose from Cool Colors (blue, green and clear) or Hot Colors (red, orange and clear). They also have a new Fish Five Set and a Dino One Set that comes with enough cubes and instructions to complete the chosen kit. Check out these cool videos of the Q-BA-MAZE in action.

Q-BA-MAZE is available online or in seleceted retail locations. Have fun designing and watching those marbles meander throughout your creation!
- Gina

Win it! We’re giving away a red 50 pack Q-BA-MAZE valued at $50 to one lucky winner. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon MST on June 16/08.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Remember those things that everyone in grade five could fold except you? (Oh wait, was that just me?) You know the ones…I think we called them fortune tellers. I believe I was supposed to marry Shawn Smith and live in a green house with 13 children or something. Whew. I dodged that bullet! As an elementary school child I played fortune teller so often that I can still recall the feeling of muscle strain in my thumbs from opening and closing them for hours on end.

It might be an old fashioned game in that it doesn’t blink or re-charge, but Chicago based Green Rock Entertainment has created Cahootie - fortune tellers with a modern twist.

Each game features 40 re-positionable fortune stickers allowing for kids to create a new game any time and rip-resistant laminated paper. Check out the fabulous interactive website, www.cahootie.com, to see the six great designs and some awesome downloads, or join Club Cahootie! Perhaps best of all, Cahootie retails for just $5.95 so kids can use their own money to buy them. We’ve got some large stockings to fill at Christmas and I’m thinking these are just the thing! They’d also be a great addition to a birthday gift, a cool Giftventure gift or just because!

Win it! We’re giving away ALL of the six Cahootie games! Six readers will each win one Cahootie. To enter, leave a comment on this post stating which of the six you’d like to be entered for. Contest closes at noon MST on June 6/08.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED

We love the Little Capers company (see our review here) so we were super excited to hear that they’ve released a line of Big Capes.

They’re available in five peaceful hero designs and are made of the same shiny way-cool fabric as the capes on their fabulous tees. Which, incidentally, my son adores. The big capes are sized for kids aged four and up and retail for $23.

Get 10% off at Little Capers with the code MAY10 until the end of May. You have just two days to take advantage of this special!

Win it! Enter to win a Little Capers Big Cape of your choice by leaving a comment on this post stating which of the five designs you’d like. Contest closes at noon MST on June 4/08.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Stuffed animals are one of those things you should avoid thinking too deeply about. Not only are they generally made of conventional cotton (one of the most pesticide dependent crops and just what you don’t want your children chewing on and sleeping with) but they’re often covered in slobber and all sorts of unknown creepies and crawlies.

No matter what your opinion on stuffed toys, I virtually guarantee that you and your kids will both love the Kallisto organic stuffed horse (pictured) from one of my new favourite shops, Wild Dill. Not only is this horse absolutely adorable (I mean, just look at him!) but he’s made of 100% organic cotton and stuffed with 100% wool (read: pesticide and chemical free, therefore safely chew-able and snuggle-able). Whinny, as he’s called at our house, is hand made in Germany to the highest of standards. He’s delightfully soft and I’m so glad my son’s newest fur-iend is not only safe for him but one more step toward our earth-friendly home.

Wild Dill products are all organic, fair trade, sweatshop-free, natural and/or recycled. They help you be kind to the earth while caring for your little one and it’s just the kind of shop opinionated parents quickly fall in love with.

Save 10% at Wild Dill with the code op10.

This code is the newest addition to the TOP Shops - a list of discount codes for only the most amazing shops on the web!

Win it! Wild Dill is giving away a $35 gift certificate to their most fabulous shop! To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon MST on May 28, 2008 telling us what product(s) other than our beloved Whinny you’d use your gift certificate for should you be the lucky winner.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED - CONGRATS JENNI!

The Opinionated Parent(s) have been testing out some soft soled leather shoes that are new-to-us but have been around for over ten years. Apparently we’ve all been living under a rock.

ShooShoos are incredibly soft and the price is definitely right at only $12.95 - $18.95. I know! I originally thought that was a typo. It certainly makes me regret what I’ve spent in the past.

My daughter is currently sporting these (pictured) and there’s nothing we don’t love about them. From the soft leather body to the non-slip soles to the turned over ankle seam to protect her soft newbie skin, Shooshoos are great shoes for a great price!

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Let me begin this by saying that my little man is just NOT a shoe guy….It takes a lot of effort to get a pair of socks and shoes on his little feet! However, I recently had the chance to review a pair of ShooShoos for him, and I must say that I was very impressed! From the first day, I could tell he was really comfy in them and being that they just slip right on, it was a much easier approach than what we were used to. He wore them the rest of the week, with no fussing or whining, and even brought them to me when I told him to go get his shoes…If you knew my little man, you would know that this was just short of a miracle!

ShooShoos was started in 1996 in South Africa to uplift disadvantaged communities and now sell internationally to over 20 countries. All the shoes are manufactured in Cape Town, South Africa and are Pediatrician Recommended. Impressive, huh? Their line boasts some super-cute styles….My favorites being the “Brown Suede Sports” for boys (pictured) and the “Fushia T Bar” for girls, just to name a few. They have so many great choices that it’s really hard to pick a favorite! Every pair of ShooShoos features an elasticized ankle, 100% napa leather construction, non-toxic dyes, non-slip soles (a big MUST for this Mommy!), no laces to trip over and all cotton thread and lining. They have sizing from 0-24 months for both boys and girls and ShooShoos pricing is much more economical than other comparable brands!

To sum things up, I just can’t say enough good things about ShooShoos….They are super-cute, super-comfy, and super-convenient! All the makings for a happy little boy around my house…I only wish I had found them much sooner! They also look to be very durable and though only time will tell, I have my bets on them holding up very well! Head on over to ShooShoos and check them out now…You’ll find some great summer styles and they have very fast shipping! - Sara

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My 16 month old son is growing up so fast that his shoes can’t quite catch up with him. I can’t ever seem to find shoes that are soft enough for his growing young feet and yet sturdy enough to withstand the vigorous action he subjects them to. This is why I jumped at the chance to review a pair of shoes from ShooShoos USA. Started in 1996 in Cape Town to uplift disadvantaged communities, ShooShoos has grown into a worldwide brand with sales in over 20 countries. Their shoes were designed with the help of pediatricians and sport shoe institutes to give young feet the healthiest start.

Since Kiddo loves trains, I picked the Blue Suede / Red Train Soft Soled Leather Baby Shoes from ShooShoos’ vast array of cute, well-designed shoes. They arrived beautifully packaged in a clear child-size plastic tote. Unlike traditional shoes, the gentle elasticized ankle on these soft and flexible navy leather shoes (with a cute little red train on them) made it a breeze to slip them on Kiddo’s feet and even his busy little fingers couldn’t take them off. Before long, Kiddo was careening around the house yelling “Choo Choo” (his favorite word second only to ‘no’) and I watched secure in the knowledge that these shoes made out of 100% Napa leather with their non-slip soles would keep him from slipping/falling. With their non-toxic dyes and all cotton thread and lining, they’re ideal for tender young skin. And when these shoes get dirty, I just toss them in the washer with like colors and voila! Clean (Shoo) Shoes!

I love them and so does my toddler. - Rashmi

Save 10% on your ShooShoos with the code top until May 31, 2008. That makes them…super cheap!

The above image (of three more awesome pairs of ShooShoos) will take you right to the ShooShoos USA site - you’ll love it there!

Win it! ShooShoos is giving away FIVE pairs of their fab shoes to five winners! To enter, leave a comment on this post by noon MST on May 15/08 indicating the style and size you’d like to win.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED

Started by crafty mom Hilary Seabolt in 2004 when her son asked what kind of food his new stuffed animals were supposed to eat, Lilly Bean Market creates what is by far the nicest and most solidly constructed felt play food I’ve seen to date. She works closely with a small group of Amish and a machine seamstress to ensure that her business remains solely based in the USA.

It’s so great to have an option for the ever popular kitchen play that doesn’t involve plastic, wood with potentially lead laden paint or spit soaked cardboard. It’s amazing - almost so nice that you’ll be tempted to not let your kids play with it because it looks so nice arranged among the toy dishes. But that would be silly. I had Granny’s Breakfast just this morning, and it’s delish. Or, as my son says, “Petend delisus!” (That’s “pretend delicious,” for you non-parental types.)

Lilly Bean Market play food is available individually or as meals. Having played with these myself…I mean, with the kids (ahem), I can tell you you’re going to want to go with at least a meal. Chances are, you’ll get your first order and end up going back for more. I know I will.

Keep an eye on the new items - there are sure to be more cool creations coming soon!

Win it! We’ve got a beautifully boxed brown bag lunch valued at $40 to give away! To enter, leave a comment on this post before April 21 @ noon MST with your favourite item(s) from Lilly Bean Market that are not mentioned in this post.

Get up to two additional entries into this contest!

1. Blog about this contest using one of the top three images found here.

2. Leave a comment with the direct link to your post (not to your main page, and in a separate comment from your other entry).

AND/OR

Subscribe to our RSS feed. Leave an additional comment to let us know that you did this for your extra entry. Be sure to leave a valid email address so we can confirm your new subscription. You may only enter one contest with this entry - only new subscriptions qualify.

Maximum three entries total per person.

CONTEST CLOSED

Many families can’t have or don’t want pets for many reasons, and the Littlest Pet Shop virtual interactive pets give the kids in those families a chance to spend time (online and off) with and care for a little friend. It’s not just kids without pets that like Virtual Interactive Pets though. My 10 year old niece loves these crazy things, as do all of her friends. I don’t get it, but I don’t have to. They’re not made for moms - they’re made for kids, and they’re obviously doing something right.

Nothing can replace growing up in a loving home with pets as part of your family, but these silly toys can make it fun to try!

Along with the VIP’s, Hasbro has also released some cool digital toys for the younger set and, of course, they still have all of the addictive little plastic pets of yesteryear.

Win it! We’re giving away a VIP, digital pen and plastic pet set to one lucky opinionated reader. (Value of approximately $40-$60, depending upon the exact items sent.) To enter, leave a comment on this post before April 18 telling us which Littlest Pet Shop items not mentioned in this post you think would most appeal to the children you want to win them for.

Get up to two additional entries into this contest!

1. Blog about this contest using one of the top three images found here.

2. Leave a comment with the direct link to your post (not to your main page, and in a separate comment from your other entry).

AND/OR

Subscribe to our RSS feed. Leave an additional comment to let us know that you did this for your extra entry. Be sure to leave a valid email address so we can confirm your new subscription.

Maximum three entries total per person.

CONTEST CLOSED

When you read that title, does it strike you that children shouldn’t have to be taught to think? It did me too, at first, but when I reflect on my experiences as a teacher I quickly realize that they do. With the overstimulation children experience today from tv too early in life and too often as they grow, along with gaming and other passive forms of play, children’s creativity and thought processes are not developing the way they could be. That makes me sad, both for what our schools need try to compensate for and for the fate of our planet if we fail.

Developed by the scientists behind Thinkworks, ThinkBlocks “help people, organizations, parents and children thrive by learning analytical, critical, creative, prosocial and systems thinking. Based on decades of scientific research. ThinkBlocks are a revolutionary educational toy that teaches thinking skills by getting ideas out of your head and into your hands. You can’t predict where life’s journey will take your children, but if you prepare them to think, they will thrive.”

In reading about ThinkBlocks, I was rather apprehensive. They seemed like a toy that was way above the level of play that occurs in homes and I wondered if they should be geared more toward schools. When I opened the box and looked at them, I continued to wonder. However, as soon as I stepped back and allowed the kids to just play, all of my apprehension was gone. Vivian, pictured at left, is five years old and immediately took to them. With no guidance from us she was learning about magnetism and polar opposites. With guidance from adults, I now realize, these tools (not toys - tools) would be able to teach her to make connections in her brain that would otherwise be very hard to teach. If that sounds a little wishy washy to you, don’t worry - it did to me too! Check out the Ergo Lab for some great videos including tutorials/lesson ideas that make it easy to understand and execute. I’ve gone from apprehension to excitement!

Each ThinkBlock kit retails for $79.99. Contents include:

* 16 Small ThinkBlocks
* 8 Medium ThinkBlocks
* 2 Large ThinkBlocks
* 1 Get Started Guide
* 1 ThinkTiles Starter set (6 tiles)
* 1 Dry erase marker
* Online Access to Tutorials, Research and Resources
* Thinkworks’ Commitment to remarkable customer service

Win it! We’re giving away a ThinkBlock kit valued at $79.99 to one lucky winner. To enter, watch a few of the 19 activity tutorials in Ergo’s lab and leave a comment on this post telling us which one(s) you’d like to try first if you are the winner. Contest closes at noon MST on April 7, 2008.

Get up to two additional entries into this contest!

1. Blog about this contest using one of the top three images found here.

2. Leave a comment with the direct link to your post (not to your main page, and in a separate comment from your other entry).

AND/OR

Subscribe to our RSS feed. Leave an additional comment to let us know that you did this for your extra entry. Be sure to leave a valid email address so we can confirm your new subscription.

Maximum three entries total per person.

CONTEST CLOSED

Congrats to Mama4JC - Comment #17 - who said: Such an interesting concept! For our family, I would love to explore the One Problem…Multiple Perspectives - this would be something that would help all of us in life. Interesting to see so many of these abstract concepts in tangible form - genius!

Guest review by TOP reader Kelly.

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We gave this Jumping Shapes toy to my son for Christmas and it is fun! It is impeccably made, sturdy enough to withstand tons of “exploration” by curious boys trying to figure out how it works.

Essentially, as a shape is placed in the slot, a lever pushes the corresponding frog “button” up. When the button is pushed, out pops the shape. The fun part is that if it is pushed fast you can “pop” the shapes into the air and try to catch them before they hit the ground.

If you are as adventurous as I, you might even let your little one whack it with a little wooden hammer. [I told you it was sturdy!]

The only complaint I have so far is that I don’t care much for the little frog pictures on the buttons and the splash of green across the top. In my opinion, they actually detract from the overall look of the toy. Otherwise it is quite attractive with smooth wood grain and dovetailed joints, spiced up by the cheerful colors of the shapes.

It retails for $20.00 at Island Treasure Toys - a Maine based, family run business specializing in natural and Waldorf inspired toys.

Review by Lisa, Contributing Opinionated Parent.

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WiggityBang launched their company in 2005 with the crazy, wacky new party game sensation that is Quelf. Their philosophy is that a sense of humor is the key that unlocks the universe. And their game is funny. Pee in your pants funny.

In 2007 they launched a children’s version of Quelf called FlapDoodle. FlapDoodle is a game of creative non-sense. There are three kinds of cards: FlapDoodle, Mr. Sourface, and Ms. Goody Gumdrops. Depending on your card, you might get to move your piece ahead because you have long hair, or because you’ve had macaroni and cheese today. You might have to do a crazy stunt, like do the back stroke on the floor until the timer runs out. Or sing. There are even very deep trivia questions such as: “How many gold teeth does the person to your right have?”

FlapDoodle is a wonderful party game for a birthday party or sleepover. It is also a lot of fun for family night. Laughter is the best medicine, and this brings a good, healthy dose.

FlapDoodle is a game for children ages 6 and up. You and 5 other players can fight it out over who gets to be the Super Ninja Monkey.

I’ve told you before about EcoBaby Canada and nothing has changed in regard to how excited I am that they exist. Naturally. In Alberta. It’s awesome!

I also directed you once before to the great selection of slings available from Ecobaby Canada and now am so excited to share with you the Child Size Hotsling! Available on the pouch sling page for just $18, your child can carry their own dolls, toys or a random selection of items from your back yard in their very own sling with the perfect fit. Kids love to copy their parents and kids also often get jealous of the attention that a young baby gets. When you’re slinging or nursing your own baby, how great would it be if your older children could simulate doing the same thing with their “babies?” This is a product that makes it easy and fun to do. Truly fabulous!

EcoBaby Canada is giving away a child size hotsling in the colour of your choice to one lucky Canuck T.O.P reader! (Please note that this one’s only open to Canadian readers.) To enter, send an email to theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight MST on 1/10/08 with EcoBaby Kid Sling in the subject line and include which of the four available colours you’d choose for your prize as well as your full name and mailing address. Incomplete entries will not be eligible. Congratulations Angie!

An important note to all readers: Please remember to copy the subject line for our contests correctly as these are filtered automatically and if you make up your own title or submit a typo you may not be entered correctly.

A guest review from T.O.P reader Kelly.

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I was lucky enough to pick up a set of these “twig” blocks on Etsy in time for Christmas. This set is amazing!

Unlike conventional building blocks, these can be pegged together to form anything your imagination can conjure up. It is a shape sorter, a block set, a balancing toy and a “counting pegs” set all in one! It entertained me as well as it did my children. That is always a great thing in a toy!

Hands down one of the greatest pre-school toys I’ve ever seen.

The unique design is being set up for mass-production come early spring so be on the lookout!

In the meantime you can contact the seller through his etsy site and see if he will make you a handmade set.

(Ed: The Etsy shop is sold out of this item so if anyone sees it anywhere else now or once it’s in mass production please let us know!)

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Send your guest reviews any time to theopinionatedparent@gmail.com.
We love hearing what you think!

We’ve told you about and given away some great goods from Kids Preferred in the past, (remember their asthma friendly line?) and now we’re pleased to present their new baby line produced in coordination with Amazing Baby. In addition to the 13 inch plush stacking toy (pictured, valued at $25) there are also several other toys and a line of interactive books that include a CD. This stacking toy is especially great because the colours, textures and sounds are stimulating to the baby’s senses yet it’s soft enough to be harmless should an older sibling happen to toss it in the general direction of the baby’s head. Not that anything like that would happen at my house. Ahem.

The star at the top of the stacking peg is sewn on, seemingly to prevent lost pieces while baby is young, but it’s easily removed with the cutting of two loose stitches should your child want to, you know…stack.

Win it! We’ve got the pictured stacking toy up for grabs. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with AMAZING BABY in the subject line by midnight MST tonight and one winner will be drawn at random. Congrats to “Baby2Be!”

Dado Squares from Fat Brain Toys are the newest edition to their Dado line and I think they’re super cool. (We reviewed the original Dado Cubes here.)

They’re ingeniously simple - even more so than the cubes, and are extremely engaging for kids as young as 2 and as old as…me! They allow for unlimited creativity, which is fabulous, and whether alone or combined with the Dado Cubes they encourage the brain-stretching visual-spatial play that many kids love.

The set contains 35 3″ squares and the box is small enough to fit in a stocking. Do you think Santa can take a hint?

We’re giving them away! To enter to win a box of Dado Squares, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Dado Squares in the subject line and tell us what the Fat Brain Toys price on this item is. (ETA: Check the Fat Brain site carefully - we’ve been getting lots of incorrect answers! We want the price for the squares…not the cubes.) Contest closes at midnight MST on 11/6/07. Congratulations Doreen!

Guest review by T.O.P. reader Kelly.

The airplane ride seems to be the bane of almost every parent’s existence. I’ve seen countless posts on parenting forums pleading for advice on what to bring and how to manage an airplane trip with young children. I have flown with my son six times since he was born, including four trips from the United Kingdom to the United States (varying from ten to twelve hours on a plane at a time). I have tried every combination of things and this product from A Toy Garden was my best discovery. The “On The Go Bag” fits an astounding number of toys in an amazingly small bag that fits quite easily into a purse or diaper bag. The toys amuse a variety of age ranges, recommended 2-8, but with my own 30 year-old self loving the Architect Blocks I’d say it should be left open ended. The bags include: “A set of wood Architect Blocks, a wooden Jacob’s ladder, a mini deck of cards, a mini set of crayons (you’ll find these in my purse at all times!), a super bouncy rubber ball, a collapsible drinking cup in fun shapes, a mini key chain level and mini keychain metal tape measure (for hours of entertainment), a mini set of soft clay in 5 colors, and a sheet of temporary butterfly tatoos. ” The big hits for us were the Jacob’s ladder… which has been played with for the past year and has held up quite well, the keychain tape measure… again played with for the past year and the blocks.

Because I loved the bag so much, I ordered another to have on hand for any new trip (the toys having migrated to various parts of the house since our first trip) and kept it in a closet. One day, our neighbors had a death in the family and had to leave immediately with their three young children for a seven hour car ride. I ran back to my house and grabbed the bag to hand off to the mom as she was pulling out of the driveway. When she got back she couldn’t stop talking about how much of a stress-reliever it was for her. With the tragedy on her mind and a car full of kids she was anticipating the trip to be terrible. Instead, every hour she would pass around another toy. It kept the children occupied and content, allowing her to concentrate on driving.

A Toy Garden is run by a WAHM, my preference for buying on the net. They give great customer service and are a pleasure to shop with.

Kelly is a WOHM from Bellevue, Nebraska. Her husband is SAHD who spends his days chasing their three year old and eleven month old boys, while rebuilding their recently acquired ‘65 VW Bus.

Thanks so much for sharing this great product with us, Kelly!

To submit your own guest review, simply email your text with links and any relevant images to theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with “guest review” in the subject line.

When I first saw the Svan Scooter I was most excited about the four most important things that I look for in new toys (but rarely ever find).

1) It’s made in un-China.
2) It requires absolutely no assembly.
3) It’s not plastic and doesn’t leech carcinogenic chemicals.
4) It doesn’t use batteries, light up or make horribly unnatural noises.

What’s not to love?

But once my son actually tried it (meaning he woke up in the morning, spotted it, ran for it and jumped on immediately) I loved it for even more reasons. It scoots easily on both the carpet and the hard floors (but goes MUCH faster on the hard floors) and turns on a dime, allowing him to drive like a maniac and love every minute of it. The seat is only 9″ off the ground so when he inevitably uses the seat as a stool to help him reach something even more dangerous he doesn’t have too far to fall. As kids grow, I can imagine some wonderful creative play being inspired by this wonderfully simple toy. Since play is not boxed in as it would be by a plastic car with headlights and a steering wheel that plays a song with the lyrics “Vroom vroom, I’m a car!”, kids are free to make the Svan Scooter into anything they can dream up. Perhaps a chariot, a dragon or even a unicorn?

It’s simply a piece of ergonomically shaped bent birch wood with three rubber wheels that don’t mark the floors. It’s designed for kids 12-36 months and holds up to 50 lbs.

I absolutely love the simplicity of the Svan Scooter. I may be biased due to my partially Swedish ancestry but I often wonder why we don’t take more of the lessons that we could learn from the European & Scandinavian countries when it comes to their toys, foods and so much more. Ah well, at least we can still buy their stuff online! You can hook your kids up with the Svan Scooter from Amazon.

We’ve got a Svan Scooter to give away! Valued at $120 USD, this is one giveaway you definitely won’t want to miss. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight MST on Friday 9/28/07 with Svan Scooter in the subject line and tell us the length and height dimensions available from the Svan site. Congratulations Kellie!

Whether you’re a professional who needs a break without interrupting the creative process or a bored nine year old, Roger von Oech’s Ball of Whacks from Fat Brain Toys will definitely do the trick.

It’s a toy and a creative tool in one little ball. It’s made of 30 magnetic pieces containing 180 “rare earth magnets” and was created by dividing the thirty sided rhombic triacontahedron into 30 pyramid pieces. If you’re lacking in creativity like me, a 96 page guidebook is included. Creative or not, though, you can have some fun building with the Ball of Whacks. I’m thinking this would make a great stocking stuffer if you’re looking for things to keep your kids busy while they’re home from school for 2 weeks!

The Ball of Whacks is intended for children aged 8 and over and, due to the plethora of magnets, must be kept away from pacemakers.

We’ve got a Ball of Whacks (valued at $28.95 USD) to give away to one T.O.P. reader! To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with BALL OF WHACKS in the subject line and the correct answer to the question “What three colour choices does the Ball of Whacks come in?” Contest closes at midnight MST on 9/5/07. Congratulations Cindy!

I don’t know of a toddler who doesn’t love pull toys, but buying them is starting to create a sense of fear in parents everywhere. (Or is that just me?) Do you go with the carcinogenic plastic or risk lead poisoning in the paint? Thankfully, we no longer have to make that decision because we’ve discovered the great line of Sevi pull toys from T.O.P. favourite Oompa Toys.

The pull along horse pictured here is my personal fave (but I also like the giraffe and there are lots more!)

It has a cute uneven gait and a light tinkly bell sound when it’s pulled quickly. The adorable wooden body is hand made and hand painted with completely non-toxic, lead-free, food grade paints and finishes. That’s good, because my kid will definitely be chewing it!

We’re giving one away! To be entered in the random draw, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight Wednesday with Oompa-SEVI in the subject line and tell us another of the Sevi pull along animals available from Oompa that’s not mentioned in this review. Congratulations Jeff!

Guest review by T.O.P. reader John. Don’t forget to pay him and his family a visit after you check out his review.

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Last summer my mom wanted advice for what to get our son Ben for his 2nd birthday. Ethan, our four year old, was dominating our driveway on his tricycle so we thought a bike for Ben to call his own would be great. We suggested a good ol’ Big Wheel, just like the ones we had as kids. She ordered it off of Amazon and we went to work assembling it after his birthday party. I’ll start with the bad news…

Assembling the Big Wheel is a real pain. Everything went together pretty smoothly except the pedals. If you read the reviews you will see many people who gave poor ratings because the pedals would not stay on. These people did not assemble it correctly. Locking the pedals in place requires sliding a lock washer onto the axle with the pedal. You can pretty easily do this by hand and get the pedal on partway…but it will NOT stay on like this. I ended up taking the whole thing out to my work bench and braced one end on my work bench, put a wood block on top of the pedal (for protection) and hammered the dang thing into place. Took quite a bit of coaxing, but once that washer and pedal were on all the way it will not go anywhere.

The other problem is that despite his height, Ben was too short to use this bike. Even now at 39″ he is still unable to use the bike. This, of course, was good news to his big brother. Here begins the good news…

Ethan LOVES this bike and terrorizes our driveway the same way I did as a kid. Fast laps, power slides, ‘jumps’ over 2×4s and other speed bumps. This Big Wheel has taken a ton of abuse over the last 12 months and it is just now showing some wear and tear. The plastic on the front wheel is starting to break in places due to Ethan driving over obstacles. No worries, still works great and a piece of a plastic milk jug and some duct tape should make for a fun father/son repair job.

If you’re looking for a fun bike for your kids I highly recommend the Big Wheel. Amazon is selling them for $29.99 and it’s worth it. Use some patience and elbow grease during assembly and then sit back and relive a little of your own youth while your kids tear up and down the driveway.

Ed. Note: The boy’s Big Wheel is currently out of stock at Amazon and nobody knows if or when it’s coming back, but here’s the girl’s version of the Big Wheel, also for $29.99.

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John is a geek dad of three living in upstate NY. He’s a programmer by day and a busy dad by night playing with kids and working on DIY projects around the house. John and his wife, Heather, run a parenting website that focuses on the fun of raising three kids by discussing our favorite toys, activities, and outings. Visit them at MyFamilyLovesIt.com.

Guest review by T.O.P. reader CPA Mom.
Head on over there after you read her review, won’t you?.

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The inventors of the Peek-A-Boo Bag, Marcella Shumway and Teresa Hammond, have been quoted as saying “We wanted to make a product that would provide the peace and quiet all mothers crave.” I would say that not only do fathers crave the same peace and quiet, but Marcella and Teresa appear to have succeeded with the Peek-A-Boo Bag.

The bag, made of a soft pink corduroy on the back and orange fabric on the front (the Girl style; they also have Boy with blue corduroy back and a red front, and an ABC style in unisex polka-dot.), has a vinyl see-through window where your child can look for “treasures” hiding in the white beads inside.

The bag includes a list of all the “treasures” inside so your kids can look for each one.

My daughter was sick this weekend and so spent much of her time on the couch. She was just well enough to be bored, so I gave her this bag. She loved looking for all the little treasures inside and would point to them when I asked her to find one.

“There’s the castle! NOW can I have my milk?”

I get the feeling it will be hard to get this one back from her…

The one suggestion I would have for the inventors, actually comes from my very smart mother, who suggested that the “treasures” be two sided. Right now, the back side of the “treasures” are white, which makes it difficult for some children to find them (the beads are white so the “treasures” disappear and also, the children may lack the dexterity to turn them over themselves - my daughter was not able to turn them over). Granted, my daughter is not yet 3 and this bag is recommended for 3 and up, but it’s just a suggestion to make a great toy even better.

The Peek-A-Boo Bag is approximately 6.5″ square (perfect for vehicles and air travel!) and retails for approximately $15.00.

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Angela is a 36 year old opinionated mother of 2. She lives with them and her EMT/Safety Officer husband in Virginia and expresses her opinion about anything and everything to anyone who will listen. She also expresses herself on Did You See That? and The Soccer Mom Vote. In her “spare time” she also holds a full time job outside the home as a certified public accountant and stalks great product review websites like The Opinionated Parent.

If you’ve got school aged kids home for the summer, chances are you are stuck for something for them to do at least part of the time. Maybe it’s raining or just too stinking hot to spend the whole day outside.

If your kids like crafts, then I’m sure they’d love to keep their hands busy with one of the many fabulous bead & activity kits from The Bead Shop (a division of Fashion Angels Enterprises).

Intended for ages 8+ (there are very small pieces in each kit so please heed that age suggestion) these kits will keep your kids busy for an extended period of time and they’ll end up with some very cool jewelry. They could make gifts for friends or perhaps make some money at a roadside jewelery store!

The coolness includes this fresh mesh bracelet kit - something different than your usual ‘bead a string and tie it’ type of kit.

The kits are heavy on the plastic, but it’s all quite functional. There’s a beading organizer tray and reusable zippered bead bags, and the outer pouch resembles a snap shut plastic purse that’s great for storing craft supplies or sorting inventory for that roadside jewelery store!

We’re giving away three kits from The Bead Shop to three different readers. We’ve got the Fresh Mesh kit shown above, the Jellloopy Jelly Key Ring Kit and the New World Beaded Jewelery Kit and will select three entrants randomly. The 1st will win the Fresh Mesh kit, the 2nd will win the Jellloopy Jelly Key Ring Kit and the 3rd will win the New World Beaded Jewelery Kit. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with “The Bead Shop” in the subject line and tell us the name of another kit not mentioned in this review. Contest closes Thursday night at midnight. Congratulations to Brad, Cindi and Lisa!

Whatever they’re called, they’re cool.

I believe that there’s a little crafter inside all of us. And when you’re pretty sure there isn’t a kit as cool as The Badgemaker will bring it out for sure! It’s from The Bead Shop (a sub-company of Fashion Angels, who we love. We’ll be reviewing several of their craft kits in the coming days) and you can Buy it here from Amazon for only $8.95! (Am I wrong to be incredibly impressed by that price?)

The badges are all made with something you draw/create/tear so each one is original. I know I would have absolutely loved this kit as a kid (and now, ahem) but since I don’t need ten miniature buttons you get to enter another fabulous T.O.P. giveaway!

Enter to win the pictured Badgemaker kit! Email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Badgemaker in the subject line and the correct answer to the question “What’s the other 100% Cool product available from The Bead Shop?” Contest closes Monday 7/30/07 at midnight MST. Congratulations Cindy!

New TOP find Fashion Angels has some really cool products for the tween girl set. There’s no trying to please both genders at this company. Everything’s purely girlie!

Check out this Jet Settin’ Make-Up Artist Sketch Book (pictured) for the fashion conscious young woman in your life. There’s also a larger version and a refill kit available, but I love the portability of the jet settin’ version. I don’t know of many tween girls who wouldn’t love this. And hey - the longer we can keep it on the paper and off their faces the better, right?

We’ve got the pictured kit as today’s featured giveaway. To be entered in the random drawing, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with MakeUp in the subject line and list another cool Fashion Angels product available on the site. Contest closes Thursday 7/26 at midnight MST. Congratulations Saundra!

ImagiPLAY is a great company if you’re the kind of person who likes to support non-plastic, non-noisy, sustainable & imaginative toys. (And, really, if you’re not you probably don’t want to admit it!)

Many of their toys are made of rubberwood & bamboo, both very environmentally friendly and chemical free. Their wooden puzzles, playsets & habitats are very cool, and I’m totally getting some of these hooks for my sons room once we’re all moved in to our new house. One warning, though. Many of the toys are intended for kids aged 3 & up for choking hazard reasons but I’d also caution you to keep them away from the younger set until they stop throwing things. Rubberwood must be slightly fragile (which is okay with me if it means no chemicals) because my 15 month old son took the elephant family puzzle, still in it’s wrapping intended as a giveaway, and tossed it on our linoleum kitchen floor and the trunk splintered off. So just one giveaway today!

We’ve got an African Safari play set (pictured) to give away. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with ImagiPLAY in the subject line and tell us the name of the woman who launched the company in 1998. Contest closes Wednesday 7/25 at midnight MST. Congratulations Betty!

Ironically, one of the reasons this review took me a while to complete is that our family has been on vacation. Because this product, Amazing Places: National Parks card game from Birdcage Press, is perfect for a family vacation, especially for those of you with older kids.

My 2 1/2 year old is already a fan of cards. She loves to look through them even though she’s not quite yet old enough to know how to actually play any card games. These cards, while designed for much older children, still caught her eye and she cried when I took them back to put up for the night.

The deck is your standard 52 cards, marked with the standard four suits so you can use them for any card game. But what is really amazing about these cards, are the stunning photographs of 52 of the U.S.A.’s National Parks, everywhere from Alaska to Maine to Florida. Under the photos are facts about the park and a symbol for the state the park is located in.

Not only are they beautiful, the cards are educational. The game won the Parents’ Choice Foundation Approved Award and a Mr. Dad Seal of Approval. Let me tell you, that even as an adult, I learned a lot about hidden treasures in my country simply by reading the cards. I discovered many places I had never heard of and are now on my “must visit” list.

The cards come with a bonus card that lists out the Parks featured by location, and instructions for playing Go Fish with them. Bonus? The portability of this game. Just toss the deck into your purse and take along on your summer vacation. Much easier to carry than all those electronic games and cartridges. And the price is easier on your wallet: only $9.95. You can find this game, as well as many other ones at Birdcage Press. I, for one, already have my eye on their Wild Card game.

By Angela

We’ve got a deck to give away to someone, and it just might be you! To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com and tell us another product from Birdcage Press not mentioned in this review. Contest closes at midnight MST on 7/19/07. Congratulations Melanie F!

The Amazon Hop is a fabulous game for kids aged 3-5 from T.O.P. favourite Moms On Edge.

It’s a simulated jungle adventure game. It’s played shoe-less with 16 stones and lily pads spread across the floor and ending with the ‘finish’ pad. (If you need a shorter game due to time constraints or less patient/younger kids, you just put fewer lily pads & stones out.)

The adult “safari guide” chooses a Good Behavior card and asks the child about how to behave in a specific situation. If they answer correctly (you decide the correct response), they get to spin the Jungle Activity Spinner, make a jungle noise or do a jungle dance, and move across the river. The first player to cross the jungle river wins. It’s fun all on it’s own, but I love that parents could easily make up their own questions to address any current situations their child might be struggling with.

They think they’re just playing a game. You’re getting your lessons across. Mutually beneficial quality time at its’ best!

Moms On Edge is currently offering FREE ground shipping on all orders over $50!!

Want to enter to win an Amazon Hop game - signed, sealed & delivered right to your door? Email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Amazon Hop in the subject line and tell us the retail price of this game as listed on the website. Contest closes Wednesday night at midnight MST.

I’m pretty sure most parents are a lot like me in my enjoyment of any toy that cleans itself up or encourages kids to do it. Zip Bins are a fantastic products for both kids and adults. They were recommended to us by a dedicated T.O.P. reader and once we checked out the website we knew they’d be a great fit!

They’re essentially just bins, available in four sizes, that unzip into a playmat and back into a bin when you’re done, but after we actually tried them we realized they’re so much more than that and I’m finding that the coolness factor is actually rather hard to describe! They also fold into small flat packets for storage when not in use.

The dinosaur mini ZipBin, my son’s favourite, is like all the others in that the four corners of the box fold & zip up & down from a storage bin for all those loose dino toys to a decorative playscape. Most homes with little boys (and often girls, too!) will have these plastic prehistoric creatures underfoot. That is until the ZipBin enters your house. They’ll still be there, but they’ll no longer be underfoot once the kids learn to zip them back into their bin when they’re done playing! And, being mini, it’s perfect for travel in cars & planes or for taking to daycare or to Grandma’s house.

Some of them, like the Small Town ZipBin, come with some accompanying toys. The Small Town also features a cool “parking garage” under the lid! (Yet it still folds flat - even with the cars inside. Like magic.

They don’t all zip into a flat sided box. For the pony lovers, the Country Stable set folds up into a barn for the ponies to sleep peacefully until their next play time.

For the family? A brilliant picnic basket turned placemat. For the hunter or fisherman? Camo. For the home? How about satin or one of the holiday options?

You can find retailers of the ZipBin here.

After you buy yours and see how much you love it, you can enter their Zip-Lify Your Life! ™ contest ~ check out some of the winners’ fabulous ideas (that I know I’ll be borrowing. These people are creative!)

We’re giving away the Unicorn Playscape! To be entered in the random draw, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight on 7/17 with ZipBin in the subject line and include the answer to the question: What’s the name of the company behind the ZipBin products? Congratulations Thea!

Established in 1938, HABA products have a great reputation for being high-quality, safe and fun. Their 2007 line-up lives up to their reputation and adds even more of an interactive flair.

The Animal Den (pictured - top right) is a cool fabric ball for babies that has all sorts of fun things to pull out that rattle & crinkle, and they have lots of cool baby toys where that came from!

At The Zoo With Alex is one of the great new HABA games that I’m in love with for the toddler & preschooler range - it’s a fact book with 5 built in animal puzzles and a dice game for 2-4 people. I love toys & games that are multipurpose and educational without being over the top & screaming “Hi! I’m multipurpose & educational!” These HABA games are the type that children will play with and not notice they’re learning. (A perk to HABA games? All of the instructions are online!)

Check out all of the new games and toys from HABA with their handy age recommendations beside each product. HABA toys can be found at specialty stores and in specialty catalogues & websites. Use Google to find a retailer near you!

We’ve got both of the above mentioned products from HABA’s 2007 line for one lucky TOP reader. As always, all is takes is an email to be entered in the random draw. Email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with HABA in the subject line and simply list one other HABA item you’d like to have in your home. Contest closes 7/11/07 at midnight MST. Congratulations Chynna!

Dado Cubes from Fat Brain Toys have been on the market less than a year and they’re already winning awards and are in toy rooms around the continent.

After playing with them for a few days, it’s not a mystery to me how something so simple could win awards. These things are cool!

Available in “original” and now “the blues” for approximately $25 USD, there are ten cubes in a package ranging from 1 inch to 5 inches. The cubes are hollow (like a box with no bottom and no top) and have a slit in the centre of each of the four sides to facilitate building.

They’re completely simple and allow for the kind of open ended play that I love to see kids engaging in. Even my 14 month old can manage to stack two and loves to fit the small ones inside of the large ones (though they’re recommended for kids 3+). It’s awesome to see kids exploring with simple toys like these and watch as they learn concepts of shape & size, gravity, architecture & more while they think they’re just playing with some cool new blocks.

We’ve got a set of “The Blues” to give away! Email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with DADO in the subject line and tell us another Fat Brain Toys Co. product that you’d like to know more about. Contest closes at midnight MST on 6/27/07. Congratulations Patti!

Oompa Toys is a fab online toy store that carries some very unique toys that you won’t easily find anywhere else. They also have a great selection of the most popular kid goods all in one place that you’d normally have to hit several stores to find (and pay several shipping charges, when Oompa Toys offers either cheap or free shipping depending on your order!)

My favourite so far are the Creanimaux (which retail for $45.99). The set consists of 52 pieces can be used to assemble a hippo, lion, tiger, rooster, zebra, elephant, giraffe, crocodile, rhino or bear. But that’ll only last so long until the kids start to mix them up and create funny, unusual creatures!

The big, chunky pieces are easy for toddlers and preschoolers to hold and stack. The designs are great - child-friendly without being too cutesy. The deep, saturated colors are even and superbly applied to each smooth, wooden block. The pieces are made of solid wood with completely non-toxic, child-friendly paints and finishes. Designed by the talented artists at Paris-based company Djeco.

Speaking of wooden animals, check out this cool non-toxic Fanfan stacking elephant for the younger set. It’s made of solid wood with leather ears and consists of a stand, 4 body pieces and a head. The pieces are large and the bright colour is very appealing to little eyes!

No batteries. No annoying noises. Just plain old-fashioned play. Now that’s what I’m talking about.

And we’ve got one of each to give away! If you’re feeling lucky (or you want to get lucky - heh) email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with OOMPA in the subject line and tell us another toy from there that you would like to have in your collection. Contest closes Friday at midnight. Congratulations Johannah & Amelia!

We’ve got a straggler from games week. I was saving the best (in my grade one teacher opinion) for last and then the Victoria Day long