Indiginous Crafts From Bolivia is a company started by Sue Berlove when following her dream of connecting with an artisan group from a developing country, purchasing their crafts and selling them in Canada. The idea appealed to her because it seemed practical, tangible and achievable; a way to combine her enterprising skills and helping values. In 2004 she travelled to Bolivia with a small group of Canadian women where she was able to make those connections. She returned with suitcases full of the crafts she had purchased and launched my new business.

One of her main products carried on Sue’s site are 3 Bags Full finger puppet pouches. Each set includes 8 animal finger puppets which snap into the painted scene on the front of a lovely knit carrying pouch. They area available in six themes— Arctic, Farm, Garden, Jungle, Ocean, Woods —and each theme’s pouch is specific to that habitat. These sets are appropriate for independent play for children 3 and up and are a great interactive educational resource for professionals and parents to use with children from birth to 6. Finger puppets are ideal for story telling, dramatic play, singing, language development and promoting early literacy and are great for home use as well as in daycares & dayhomes, and classrooms.

We checked out the Jungle theme, which came with a crocodile, elephant, giraffe, lion, monkey, parrot, tiger, and zebra. The puppets are very well made and the pouch is stunning in design and quality. They fit both a child’s and an adult’s finger well, and the designs are just perfect for free play and early literacy use. They retail for $40/set.

Color Collector (or Colour Collector for my fellow Canucks) is a really neat concept for a game that appeals to a wide range of ages.

This is another game offered by the fine folks at Tickle Tap Apps, is available from the iTunes App Store for a budget-conscious $1.99.  It’s rated 4+, (and now I’m starting to understand that “4+” actually translates to “everyone” — most people don’t trust their phone with a 3-year-old though!)

The basic premise for this game is to send your children on a scavenger hunt collecting each of the six colours represented in the colour wheel.  You do this by finding objects of the appropriate colour and snapping a picture of them (by tapping the screen).

It’s ridiculously easy to use, and pretty darn accurate.  Occasionally, it will get the colour wrong (my testing showed most problems with Orange and Purple — it doesn’t do well identifying dark versions of those colours), but I’d say that it gets it right at least 85% of the time.

When you tap the screen, it will instantly identify the colour for you, and play a short animation.  A star will then appear in the upper-left corner representing each of the colours you’ve collected.  Every 2 pictures, a short animation will play (nice touch, but gets a little pointless and repetitive after the first couple of times).

My only real gripe is that once you’ve collected all 6 colours, the game just resets.  There’s no “final animation” or some indicator to show that you’ve collected them all.  That’s one of my complaints though, my kids have never commented on it. -by Jon

The amazing Jonathan Lane is the founder of Industry Interactive and Discover Gulf Islands. He blogs at Flying Troll and tweets here. He has worked with my brilliant & incredibly hot husband and according to him, Jon is one of the nicest and smartest guys you’d ever care to meet. My husband is a damn good judge of character, so there you go.

Win it! Tickle Tap Apps is giving away a $20 iTunes gift card to one randomly selected T.O.P. reader who’d like to try Tickle Tap Apps. Just comment below to be entered. Due to technical issues, we’ve extended this contest to close at noon mst on FEB 24, 2010.

This game taught me a very important lesson: my 5-year-old son is more patient than I am.  But first, the details!

Count Caddy from Tickle Tap Apps is a great interactive game that teaches you counting skills.  You start off counting by 1s, then move on to counting by 2s & 3s.  Count Caddy will set you back $1.99 and is available from (where else?) the iTunes App Store.  It’s rated 4+, which in my experience is right on; my 3-year-old lost interest pretty quickly, but my 5-year-old (who has Good Will Hunting-like math abilities), got a kick out of it.  He really put the game through it’s paces, and ended up showing me that it progresses in difficulty (I got bored after counting by 2s).

The game progresses through a series of levels; on level one you count by 1s three times, on level 2, you count by 2s and so on.  As you pass each level, you’re treated to a short animation.

Count Caddy has proven to be highly re-playable; in fact my son is constantly asking me if he can play it whenever we’re out.  It’s simple, bright and lots of fun.  Everything that a children’s game should be. -by Jon




The amazing Jonathan Lane is the founder of Industry Interactive and Discover Gulf Islands. He blogs at Flying Troll and tweets here. He has worked with my brilliant & incredibly hot husband and according to him, Jon is one of the nicest and smartest guys you’d ever care to meet. My husband is a damn good judge of character, so there you go.

Another Tickle Tap App will be reviewed tomorrow, and we’ll be including an iTunes gift card giveaway so y’all come back now!

I’ve mentioned I Can Do That Games in the past and we recently received two more games from them that have quickly become family favourites.

Richard Scarry’s BusyTown Eye found it! Game is my son’s new favourite game. He’s about 3 1/2 and it’s just the perfect age for him, but I could see it working wonderfully in my classroom full of 6 & 7 year olds as well. The game consists of a giant 6-foot long game board in three sections that connect like a puzzle, 4 mover pieces and bases to stand them up, a spinner, a cardboard ferry tile, 6 food tiles, 10 magnifying glass tokens, 30 Goldbug cards and a sand timer.

Players race through Busytown, teaming up every time someone spins a “Goldbug” to search for whatever item is on the card that they flip over. (Wow, that was an awkward sentence.) They’re racing toward the ferry that will take them to Picnic Island where there are two pigs slowly devouring the food. Together they need to get to the island before the food is all gone.

There are so many things that I love about this game. Each player strives to move as far on the game board as they can, but because the ultimate goal is to get everyone to the island there’s a wonderful component of teamwork that’s absent from most board games. Because the game is so large and you’re pretty much forced to play it on the floor, it allows children to move around as they play and doesn’t attempt to force them into a chair for an extended period of time. Like a search & find book, it promotes attention to detail and builds confidence as children search for an find the items on the Goldbug cards that they flip over when the spinner lands on that icon.

The BusyTown game is available from Amazon and absolutely makes my list of top ten preschooler gifts. Rated 10/10 by my two little peeps – it’s fabulous.

The other game we received was Dr. Seuss’ Super Stretchy ABC Game. Think a preschooler sized version of Twister with a more educational focus. The game includes an oversized mat, a game board with a Thing 1 and Thing 2 Tornado Tube, 34 Letter tiles, 4 Toy boxes and 15 Word cards.

This game encourages letter and picture recognition, develops early word-building skills, uses both fine and gross motor skills and gets players twisting, turning and stretching while they play. “Can you put your hand on the letter E—while placing your foot on the letter K—AND still put your ear on the letter Q? You’ve got to be super-stretchy to meet the challenge!” In this silly game of physical challenges and alphabet fun, kids spin the Thing 1 and Thing 2 Tornado Tube to deal out letter-to-body-part challenges. Then it’s time to for the players to get down on the colorful, oversized Dr. Seuss alphabet mat (one child on the mat at a time – those developers have met preschoolers!) and stretch, turn and twist to put their body and brain to the test! My children gave this game a 8/10 – not as loved as the Busytown one, but certainly a great game that they enjoy.

Super Stretch ABC is also available from Amazon.

Win it! I Can Do That Games is giving away these two fab games to one T.O.P. reader. To enter, comment below before noon mst on Feburary 15, 2010. You can get up to 5 entries in every T.O.P. contest- just check the rules!

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

We love classic wooden toys and, though our house is still overrun by plastic, we try our best to find and buy as many non-toxic items as we can.

Our latest fave is the Maple Landmark Spinny Speller from Canadian company Go Green Baby. It consists of three four-sided blocks that spin to make 3 dozen simple consonant-vowel-consonant words. It’s great for developing and challenging early reading skills, is constructed of hardwood construction and is 5″ long. It’s recommended for children aged 3 and up. My three year old son digs his, and though he can easily read all of the word sit makes he still has fun creating rhyming words and is trying to teach his sister how easy it is to sound out words and create word families – that alone is worth the price! It’s only $9 so makes an easy & inexpensive addition to your preschooler’s toybox, and a great addition to a birthday or Christmas gift.

The Spinny Speller and so many more cool things are available from Ontario based Go Green Baby.

Win it! We’re giving away a Spinny Speller to a randomly selected reader. To enter, visit Go Green Baby and let us know one or two of your favourite items or things you’d like to see reviewed before noon mst on August 19, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

As an educated adult with degrees from a liberal education university, I know that there’s no denying evolution. Religion aside, it’s plain & simple science. No matter what, if any, higher power you believe in, you just can’t (or shouldn’t) blindly and moronically ignore science.

Charlie’s Playhouse was founded by scientist and mom Dr. Kate Miller and is packed with information, toys, and games introducing children to the ideas of Charles Darwin, evolution and natural selection in a very child-friendly way. The Giant Timeline (playmat $49; poster $29) is available in two forms: an 18 foot long play mat or 12 foot long folding poster, both covering 600 million years of history in short 20 million year steps. It’s an unequivocally huge hit with the kids around our place. What kid doesn’t love animals? And particularly dinosaurs. It features amazing creatures from the fossil record that are intelligently arranged on sea, land and sky. The poster is perfect for hanging at kids’ eye height in a hallway, and my kids love to walk on the play mat and act out evolution in their own highly creative and hugely inaccurate way. Educational for everyone, hilarious for the onlookers!

The Ancient Creature Cards ($20) feature every creature from the Giant Timeline on it’s own 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch card with a colourful illustration, fun facts and a size comparison figure such as the coin pictured on the top card above. While not as thrilling as the play mat for the younger kids, they’re great on their own or as an accompaniment. The images alone are enticing enough for a good 20 minutes of quiet pondering for my not-yet-reading child, and that’s worth way more than $20 most days.

Find more great Darwin-related activities & ideas at the Charlie’s Playhouse blog.

Happy (slightly belated, though I’m sure he won’t mind) 200th birthday, Charlie!

Win it! We’ve got a Giant Timeline Playmat to give away, valued at $49. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on Thursday, April 16, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

In the dead of the cold Canadian winter, nobody in their right mind takes their kids to the park. Sure, we’re tough up here. We can get bundled up in balaclavas and down skidoo suits, with nothing showing but two squinting eyeballs, but once we get outside we can barely walk for the bundling and the kids sure couldn’t get up on any playground we were crazy enough to take them to. (And if they did, how long do you think it would take before someone’s tongue was stuck to the slide?)

Enter Toronto based DreamGYM Inc., the first company in Canada to produce indoor jungle gyms for home use. Company founder Marina Mironov has created an ingenious product which allows children to stay physically active all year round, regardless of the weather. DreamGYM Indoor Jungle Gyms and wide variety of accessories can be installed in almost any space of the home: a kids’ room, basement, or a spare bedroom. Children have a blast climbing ladders, scaling monkey bars, swinging on a trapeze bar, or doing flips on gym rings right inside their homes.

We tried out a few of the DreamGYM accessories with a local preschool group. The gym rings, trapeze/ring combo and disc swing all mounted very easily & safely in a room with exposed rafters and were a huge hit with all of the children. They’re obviously well made and feel very solid – almost industrial. The accessories are very affordable, especially for such high quality equipment. They range from just $15 for the trapeze bar to just under $200 for the four sided rope ladder. The basic model of the jungle gym sells for $950 (pine) or $1270 (maple), and all prices are in Canadian dollars so Americans get even better prices than that! Obesity prevention and health benefits aside, we all know that an exercised child is a happier child, which equals a calmer and quieter child. You’re welcome.

All DreamGYM Inc. products are available from their online store.

Win it! DreamGYM is giving away an accessory pack (gym rings, trapeze/ring combo and disc swing, an $80 value) to one randomly selected winner. To enter, pay a visit to the DreamGYM Inc. site and come back here to comment with what other items not mentioned in this review that you would love to have in your home. Contest closes at noon mst on March 25, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

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We were fortunate to be offered a free trial to Dreambox Learning K-2 Math , an online math game that adjusts to a child’s math competency as they play. Dreambox Learning K-2 Math aimed at children 5-7 years of age is perfect for my 5 year old daughter who’s in Kindergarten. It features over 350 individual math activities, and there are over a million different paths a child can take and difficulty level progresses as they play along. It’s great that my daughter is able to log in independently and when she starts playing the actual math games (which are cleverly masked as fun games), it’s hard to make her stop! The math problems are presented in different adventure theme parks with pirates, dinosaurs, cute animals or pixies. Kids are motivated to play the math activities because in doing so, they move the story along. They also earn certificates of achievement and coins that can be used to play carnival games. Even if some of the games are a bit slow but they hold her attention and she’s always curious to see what happens after. If she’s struggling, the game presents extra help and a stress reliever (everyone gets tired crunching numbers, right?) by going to the carnival and popping balloons or another similar activity. What’s more, Dreambox Learning tracks the child’s progress and emails progress reports to the parents so I get updates on how she is doing even when I am not there to see it (although I make it a point to be with her as much as possible when she plays). She’s been playing every single day for at least 15 minutes and has made a lot of progress. I can’t believe she has stopped using her fingers in counting and subtracting after using Dreambox for just a week!

I have to be honest, Math is my waterloo and I am afraid I may have passed that to my daughter. I have tried to introduce her to Mathematics at an early age in hopes of overcoming any fear of numbers and eventually teaching her to love Math. With the progress she’s made by using Dreambox, I am confident that she’s got an early start to not only not hating Math but actually enjoying it! Dreambox Learning K-2 Math is highly recommended to parents wanting to have a little boost to their child’s mathematical skills. It is a subscription program that costs from $8 – $13/month. – by Grace

We’ve told you about the awesome Xeko missions from Matter Group in the past and are super excited about the newest one. Mission: China is the newest edition of Xeko, the award-winning trading card game that introduces kids to threatened species and the world’s conservation hotspots. This mission includes many fascinating endangered anumals like the Giant Panda, Snow Leopard, and King Cobra.

The Xeko Mission: China starter set comes packaged in an awesome pagoda-shaped box decorated with animals from China’s habitats and dragon illustrations. The starter set retails for $24.99. Booster packs of 9 cards are available for $3.99.

A new line of eco-friendly plush, the Xeko Pals, also debuted this fall. They’re based on the most popular characters from the game and are made with soy and certified organic cotton “fur” and filled with soy-based stuffing. The toys each feature “mission codes” that allow kids to play their missions at xeko.com.

Win it! We’re giving away a Xeko Mission: China package valued at $45 including the starter kit and Xeko Pals Panda to a lucky randomly selected winner. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on December 31/08.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

We are game people who don’t have enough time to play games. The family of too many hobbies. However, recently a new game from I Can Do That Games showed up on our doorstep and once the family got a glimpse of it they all insisted we make time to play.

The Cat in the Hat – I Can Do That game is super high energy – kind of like my children – that combines balancing, jumping, sliding and more and celebrates a child’s “I Can Do That!” attitude!

Just like in the book (which we have read a few times but now read ad nauseum – thanks for that) The Cat in the Hat has come for a visit and he wants to see all the things that your child can do.

It’s super easy to play and you’ll likely find yourself laughing non-stop like we were. Start by flipping over three cards to discover your new challenge. What will it be? Can you jump up and down…while holding the fish…under your chin? Can you limbo under the trick-a-ma-stick…while balancing the boat…on your stomach? If you think you can, shout, “I Can Do That!” There are hundreds of hilarious possibilities. The player who earns the most stars wins! I was suprised at the crazy things my little guy was able to do, and so was he.

Check out these other games all inspired by classic Dr. Seuss stories. I have no doubt they’d all be as great an addition to the family game cupboard as The Cat in the Hat – I Can Do That!

There are barely six weeks until Christmas, and many of us are already planning ahead for that often dreaded holiday travel. Sure, it’s fabulous (we hope!) once you get there, but traveling with kids can be less than fun. Little Jet Set (sound familiar?), a company founded by two former-attorneys-turned-traveling mamas, offers some great toys, gifts and other fun ideas for traveling families. Anything to make the time pass without screaming contests sounds like a great idea to me!

Gobblet on the Go is a fun travel-sized game that plays just like the timeless tic-tac-toe except that you can gobble up your opponent’s pieces and move yours around the board. The first player to line up 3 pieces in a row wins. It takes just seconds to learn and a few minutes to play, and is great for kids from age 5 right up to adults. The wooden board and pieces conveniently come in a mesh drawstring bag for portability. It would fit great on an airplane tray table or between two kids sitting in the back seat of the car. You know, right on the imaginary line that they’re both so tempted to cross.

Check out Little Jet Set for this and more awesome ways to entertain your kids while on the road this holiday season.

Win it! We’re giving away this very game. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post before midnight tonight!

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I’ve been known to rag on many of the toys around these days for their, um…hooker-like qualities. There are enough influences teaching our daughters that beauty & boobs are more important than brains & heart without their toys adding to the mix.

That said, little girls love their dolls.

Enter Groovy Girls. Available from the Manhattan Toy online shop, Groovy Girls are not just models – they’re role models. The RSVP line embraces the valued of respect, self-expression, values and play – the core ideas that serve as the foundation for the Groovy Girls line. The Groovy Girls RSVP dolls come complete with a special password into an online community where girls can create virtual dolls, customize a play space, change into hundreds of customized glamorous outfits, interact via chat and more. All of this online play allows the girls to earn points toward making a doll donation to another child in need.

Groovy Girls are intended for girls aged three and up, and they’re dolls that even a toy stickler such as myself is happy to buy for my child and any other girl I’m buying for. They’re soft dolls with stiff yarn-like hair (that, incidentally, looks much better than mine ever will) and, most importantly, the clothes are incredibly fashionable & fun while still being modest decidedly un-hooker-like.

It just doesn’t get better than that. (When it comes to dolls, anyway.)

Win it! We’re giving away an awesome prize package that includes one of each of the eight dolls and give pets currently available! To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on November 24, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

How do you teach your child to be kind, especially to someone who looks, acts or talks differently then they do? How do you teach them to be empathetic and generous with time, talent and money? It’s tough, I know. I for one, can use all the help I can get helping my children learn these important life lessons.

So I was thrilled to hear about KidsGive LLC, which was created to “help kids in need, and to embed in our children a sense of social responsibility from an early age. By teaching children about different countries and cultures, KidsGive LLC hope to encourage understanding and acceptance.”

The founders of KidsGive LLC believe:

The initial products are dolls and books, launching with five characters that represent girls around the world who come to life through beautifully made dolls, fun adventure books and a whole range of interchangeable clothing and accessories. The Karito Kids™ dolls all stand 21″ tall, with jointed limbs and a soft torso and highlight the unique beauty of their individual heritage. They are made to represent 11-year-old girls who characterize a modern way of life in each country and culture, providing today’s views of fashion, events, and values that shape each generation and raise global awareness along the way. Take a look:

Gia from Italy

Ling from China

Lulu from Kenya

Piper from Australia

Pita from Mexico

Zoe from the USA

Through the purchase of each Karito Kids product, three percent of the retail price helps another child—and you decide how! Every item comes with a special code allowing you to log on to karitokids.com, play great games, earn extra World Change™ and direct your gift to one of four causes: school, home, health or food (through Plan USA, a worldwide children’s charity). By entering the unique code (found on every product) on the company website, you and your children will be able to select the charitable cause to which the donation will be directed.

But what about these dolls? Well, let me tell you, they are stunning. We received Agapita Maria Reña Corta to review: “Pita is an 11-year old girl of privilege from Mexico City who bucks the rules of her social class after her beloved horse goes missing. Pita comes with her own passport and a 123-page, hardbound fiction book that includes eight scrapbook pages about her native Mexico!”

My 4 year old daughter latched right onto Pita and hasn’t let go since! And who can blame her – the doll is gorgeous with incredible details. All of the poseable dolls are hand-strung and constructed from vinyl with no phthalates added (meeting the more stringent EU standards of toy safety). And to properly model their fashions, the dolls are constructed with a 1/3-vinyl breastplate. To ensure the much-desired “cuddle” factor, 2/3 of the torso is soft 100% cotton and polyester fill. The hair is wigged and can be washed and styled. The dolls are safety tested for children 3 and older under both U.S. and Canadian standards.

– by CPA Mom

Win it! We’re giving away your choice of doll/book set from Karito Kids! To enter, visit their site and come back to comment with your choice of gorgeous doll. Contest closes at noon mst on November 21, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

While I’m not a huge fan of much screen time for kids, I much prefer when they’re actively using a computer than sitting in front of the boob tube with a blank stare. If your kids are more sports fan than unicorn lover there’s a new virtual world for them with seven ‘real-life’ (stuffed life?) sports-related characters whose codes on their hangtags unlock fun online games.

Created by two moms, Caryn Burns and Cindy Prince, with a passion for sports, fitness and their children All Star Buddies is a safe, wholesome and even educational virtual world for kids aged 6 & up. The characters available are Chip, (the “Golf Buddy”), Blitz (the “Football Buddy”), Deuce (the “Tennis Buddy”), Striker (the “Soccer Buddy”), Ace (the “Baseball Buddy”), Swish (the “Basketball Buddy”), Deke (the “Hockey Buddy”). Based in a fictional town called “Varsity Heights”, the All-Star Buddies’ virtual world is a place where a healthy, positive lifestyle is reinforced through fun games, quests and social interaction. Using games (both individual and multi-player), children learn about problem-solving, goal setting, good sportsmanship, teamwork, fitness, good nutrition and environmental awareness. Their first stop is in the Locker Room where they log in to the world and select one of the seven characters as their onscreen persona. They can change characters as often as they like, which was a huge hit with the kids that tried this out for us. They loved not being locked in to one sport.

In Varsity Heights, every kid can be an All-Star no matter what their sports ability is in real life – and that’s the way it should be.

Win it! In good old Canadian fashion, we’re giving away “Deke,” the hockey buddy, to one randomly selected reader. (Go Flames Go!) To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on November 12, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

In my family we’re always up for a good game. Since they frown on playing quarters with toddlers (and we try to reserve the beer for after their bedtime) we are looking at adding more board games to our home. The new game I Spy Private Eye from renowned and fantastic game maker Briarpatch is designed for 2-4 players from age 5 and up is a fun game based on Scholastic’s best-selling book series by the same name. I Spy Private Eye combines elements of I Spy and Memory by challenging kids to remember what they have spied. You place nine picture blocks into the jumbler, shake up the blocks and press the timer. After you open the lid, you have 30 seconds to memorize the images on the blocks. Then you choose a picture card and find all the images that match the blocks to score points.

The game includes nine picture blocks, a jumbler with built-in 30 second timer, 24 I Spy cards, a magnifying glass token that’s used for challenges and, of course, the rules. It retails for $24.99.

My own children are a little young yet for this game but the children I played it with thought it was “a blast!” and weren’t ready to stop when we insisted it was time to clean up for dinner. Definitely a worthwhile investment for family game night!

Win it! We’ve got a copy to give away! To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on November 10, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I’ve never personally read the Fancy Nancy book series by Jane O’Connor, but after talking to a few girls who have I think I might check them out of my local library – if only to re-discover my little girlie side.

According to Nancy, there’s no such thing as too much. Nancy loves her frilly bedroom, her lace-trimmed socks, and her plumed pen. She teaches her family and everyone she meets how to be fancy. Briarpatch’s newest line of board, puzzles and card games allow young girls to enter Nancy’s world and get a glimpse of her posh bedroom, piece together a glitter coated puzzle and shuffle a deck full of tiaras, wands and bows.

In the Fancy Nancy Posh Bedroom Board Game ($19.99) 2 – 4 players help Fancy Nancy transform her world from plain to fancy. Boas, ribbons, tiaras and oodles of other frilly accessories make the posh makeover complete! “Voila! C’est magnifique!”

The glitter coated Fancy Nancy Puzzles (four available, $7.99 each) star Fancy Nancy in her bedroom. “What’s a Fancy Girl to do?” pictures Nancy donning a tiara & dressing her dolly. “I Love Being Fancy” shows Nancy in her fancy bedroom surrounded by the glamorous accessories she loves so much. “Butterflies are Exquisite!” shows Beautiful Butterfly Nancy amid a rather messy bedroom. “Introducing Frenchy!” shows Nancy and her fancy dog Frenchy.

The Fancy Nancy Card Game ($6.99) features jumbo cards with…fancy accessories, of course! Girls are challenged to collect all 8 of Fancy Nancy’s must-have items like sunglasses, rings, tiaras, flowers, bows and purses.

We had a lovely little eight year old girl review these games & puzzles for us. She, unfortunately, was brought down by tonsillitis but was thrilled to find them waiting for her when she arrived home from the hospital. Her mom tells us they were the perfect items to uplift her mood after a few days in a drab hospital room. She particularly loved the glitter on the puzzle and the fact that she got some new books (from her mom) to go along with her cool new game. Once she read her first book, the game became much more interesting to her and she was excited to invite a friend over to play with her.

For the girlie girl or for those of us who always wanted to be one, Fancy Nancy is a great way to posh up your day.

Win it! We’ve got all three of these, a board game, puzzle & card game, to give to one randomly selected T.O.P. reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on October 28, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

At our house, getting two kids to bed at our house isn’t always a pleasure, but when my niece is here and we play the new Beddy-Bye Baby game from Briarpatch ($19.99) it makes putting baby to bed seem like, well, child’s play!

Anyone who has spent much time with little girls will tell you that taking care of a baby, real or pretend, is one of their favorite activities. Briarpatch has incorporated this nurturing play into a sweet, simple game that embraces a child’s love and fascination for baby.

Each Beddy-Bye Baby game comes with 48 playing cards including teddy bear, pajamas, baby bottle and Beddy-Bye illustrated cards, a game board, 4 baby carriage tokens and a die that sounds like a baby’s rattle when shaken. A booklet of complete game rules is also included.

To play, each player selects a baby and carriage in pink, blue, yellow, or green. When it’s their turn, players roll the die and move their carriages down the path toward bed while collecting jammies, a bottle and a teddy bear. Like real babies, players may encounter a baby that is fussy, sleepy or playful. The first player to enter the nursery with all three of baby’s things and tuck baby in to bed wins the game. No reading is required and up to 4 people can play. If you have older preschoolers and early school age kids, Beddy-Bye Baby would make an awesome addition to your family game nights!

Win it! We’re giving away a Beddy-Bye Baby game to one lucky winner. We’ll randomly select one person who comments on this post before August 28/08.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

The Chatterbox is a new game developed by Kim and David Maksymuik, Canadian parents who were stumped by a lack of resources available to parents to assist them when teaching their young twins valuable life skills. Their mission is to empower families to communicate, work together and master key life skills by providing them with tools and information that will help them learn in a quick, easy, fun and interesting way.

Each box comes with 140 cards covering topics in six life skills categories: family harmony, building character, developing people skills, goal planning, achievement skills and understanding money.

The Chatterbox provides age appropriate questions for children aged 3-6 years, 7-11 years and 12 years and up that are designed to stimulate conversation within the family. The Chatterbox also suggests fun games related to the subject matter addressed on each card and reinforcing tasks to be completed over the next week to facilitate retention and family fun and to ensure that families gain experience with real life skills in addition to the hypothetical ones. We’re sure looking forward to using The Chatterbox as a tool to facilitate our family dinner table conversations when our kids are older!

As of August 1/08, The Chatterbox is available online at Please Mum.com and, if you’re not an online shopper, just head to the local mall and pick yours up at any Please Mum store across Canada!

Win it! Enter to win a copy of this fabulous family game by leaving a comment on this post. Contest closes August 27/08.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Teach My Toddler, founded by mom Christy Cook, is a fabulous all-in-one learning system made especially for toddlers. The light blue plastic tote is divided into four sections – alphabet, numbers, shapes and colours. Each section contains a teaching chart (great for wall posters too!), a board book, a foam puzzle and a set of flash cards. The tools within each section are fully coordinated so the toddler receives a consistent message throughout. If “A is for alligator” on the chart it’s also for alligator in the book and on the flashcards. When children are in the early learning stages, this is incredibly important. You don’t want to skip from alligator to apple to airplane just yet. The pictures within the tote are all simple and clear – definitely age appropriate.

The teaching tools within each section work together to reinforce the message. Your toddler can match the puzzle pieces to the teaching chart, the book or the flash cards. Plus, while turning the pages of the board book or pointing out the pictures on the teaching charts, the toddler can pick out the corresponding flash cards. The combinations are endless.

In addition to the details, the great thing about the Teach My Toddler tote is that it works. My little guy is barely two and loves to dig into his tote. He knows all of his upper and lower case letters as well as the sounds they make and has even come up with ways to include other toys in our play with the tote. If we’re playing with numbers, for example, he’ll grab 5 legos and make a “tower of power” to match the numbers on the chart. Christy recommends about 20 minutes a day of fun, educational play with your tote, and I concur. Let your child lead, make it fun and you’ll be surprised what they can learn!

Take a look inside this awesome product here, and watch the demo video for a thorough look at the product at work. (Make sure you have flash installed…)

Not only is this a fantastic product for your own children and grandchildren at home, but it’s also fantastic for pre-schools and kindergarten classrooms. If you purchase one (they come highly recommended!) then I’d suggest donating it to a local preschool when you’re done with it. As a teacher, I can vouch for how much it will be appreciated.

Teach My Toddler is available from teach-my.com for $39.99 (ships for just $5!) and also in 28 stores across Canada.

Win it! We’ve got a Teach My Toddler tote to give away! To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon MST on August 7/08. One winner will be selected at random.

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

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Not only did I lose all of my contacts and files, but I haven’t even been able to use the 15 minutes per day that my kids are both asleep to attempt to recover them because I’m totally addicted to Jishaku.

What’s that, you ask?

Don’t worry. So did I.

Jishak, the Japanese word for magnet, is a portable strategy game like chess or checkers that can be played anywhere. Unlike any other game, though, there is an element of surprise when the magnets jump out of position without warning.

All magnets have North and South poles. Jishaku magnets do too, but they aren’t marked. As you carefully place your magnet in a hole you can feel the tug of magnets all around the board. Skilled players (apparently…I’m not there yet) learn to use magnetic force in their favor- repelling the magnets closest to them without forcing them into other magnets.

Depending on which version of the game you choose to play, I’m Out, Roundup, or Elimination, your goal will vary. The suspense that you feel as you place your stones, though, never changes. Even when you play it all by yourself as I’ve been doing.

See it in action here and then tell me you don’t want to buy this game. Trust me. You do.

Save 10% through 7/31 with the code TOP100.

Win it!We’ve got a game of Jishaku for one randomly selected winner. To enter, simply comment on this post before 11:59 MST on August 4/08.

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

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

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!