Review + Giveaway: Coin Clues: Create a Plan of Attack

Coins motivate tactile learners.

WHAT:  Coin Clues by Mindware
INVENTOR: Evelyn B. Christensen

DOES: uses you and your child's love/obsession/admiration for all things currency to tackle a notorious academic subject: the word problem.

INVEST:  $12.95 each

AGES: Book A is for ages 5-8, Book B is for 8+

TOOLS: Think Like a Scientist/Engineer; Foment the Love of Language
EXPERT: Tim Swain, Educational Director of Mathnasium of Manhattan (UWS)

GIVEAWAY:  Win your choice of two Coin Clues Books (A, B, or Making Change (8+ yrs.))

Review: OgoDisk: Dittos Don't Build Dendrites

In this game, there are no winners or losers.  The way to win is to have fun and the way to have fun is to keep the ball in play.

WHAT: OgoDisk Mini and OgoDisk Super by OgoSport

DOES: bilateral coordination, visual motor integration, visual tracking..  basically it's all about hand-eye coordination and also using your eyes with more control for things like... reading... you know... stuff like that  

INVEST:  $33-46  prices will vary with retailer  (each set of two disks comes with one ball)

AGES: 3+

TOOLS: My Body Needs to Move
EXPERT OPINION: Pediatric Occupational Therapist Susan L. Roberts, MDiv, OTR/L

Gigantic Review Coming... What Do You Want to Know?

  

Number 1 and 2 will see this when they come home.  They will faint.  Unlike my recent extreme motherly stunt, I think this it's too cruel to wrap this up in wire and make them earn it.  But they don't know that they will be working so hard with this.  They'll be getting as much as they put in and more!

WHAT:  Woodmobiel brought to you by OOTS!

DOES: It looks like you can do soooooo much with this and you can expect a very thorough review.  It will take some time to review this. I do want to be responsible but in case you are shopping for ideas for a summer project... I think this looks really awesome and so I wanted to tell you about it now.  COULD this be your summer camp alternative?  hmmmmmm

INVEST: Starter Kit is $165; Standard Kit is $300
WHAT NOW??: I need your advice. If you think your child (and you too secretly) would like this very unique and fabulous toy, what would you want to know about it to help you make a decision about buying or not buying it?

Review + Giveaway: Wordless Story Cards: A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words

I wonder what could be happening here?

WHAT:  My Trip to Mars and Underwater Adventure from Gryphon Design Collective

INVENTOR: Cat Addams
DOES: fall in love with storytelling, embrace unknown endings, improve writing skills without writing a single word, great way to celebrate Better Hearing and Speech Month

INVEST:  $19.95  (average wordless story book is $15-17 dollars  but story cards contain an infinite number of stories)

AGES: hmmmm. maybe 2-9 or more depending on a child's language skills

TOOLS: Foment Love of Language, Flexibility is My Superpower, More Make-Believe Please
EXPERT OPINION: Susan Schwartz, MAEd, Learning Specialist, Friends Seminary; John Ferrera, PhD, Child Psychologist, John Ferrera Ph.D. and Associates

GIVEAWAY:  Win My Trip to Mars and 25 % OFF COUPON CODE TOO- see below!

Another Amazing Ken Robinson TED Talk

I have a million wonderful things to say about Ken Robinson.  I have no idea what led me to watch one of his TED talks at 2 AM.  I don't think I even knew what a TED talk was.

Review + Giveaway: Kiwido and Mikido: Science As Sport

This toy says, "I have the coolest mom/dad in the world" unless you are holding it and then it says, "I am the coolest mom/dad in the world."  Pictured is the Kiwido (that comes with a CD-ROM)

 
WHAT:  Kiwido (with CD-ROM) and Mikido by Active People

DOES: practice your balance, bilateral coordination, and strengthen your upper body! This thing makes you move! Motivation supplied by scientific curiosity... Also, it's an icebreaker in the park!

INVEST:  $26.99 Kiwido with CD-Rom (blue package), $24.99 Kiwido Classic with carrying case, and $11.99 MSRP for Mikido

AGES: 5+ for Kiwido; 3-8 for Mikido

TOOLS: Think Like a Scientist/Engineer, My Body Needs to Move, Social Scene Helper, Express Yourself

GIVEAWAY:  Win your own set of Kiwido (with CD-ROM) mailed to your home!

Extreme Motherly Stunts

A bit extreme? Yeah, I know but hear me out!

WHAT:  How to Keep Kids Playing with the Good Stuff? 

DOES: makes them invest in their toys, gives ownership, slows all of us down... in a good way

INVEST:  You pay for the toy.

AGES: 4+? Have to ask an expert.

TOOLS: Fertilize Responsibility and Courtesy, I Can Take Care of Myself, Family Fix-its

Review + Giveaway: About Face: Every Child is an Artist

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” - Pablo Picasso

WHAT:  About Face by eeBoo
INVENTOR: Saxton Freymann 

DOES: children are given a uniquely-created opportunity to preserve the way they see things, their own unfettered, undisturbed, artistic viewpoints

INVEST:  $14.99 MSRP

AGES: suggested 5+ 

TOOLS: Express Yourself, Social Scene Helper, Foment Love of Language
EXPERT OPINION: Petra Pankow,  Manager of Tours and Gallery Interpretation, Montclair Art Museum and independent museum arts educator at various institutions (MoMA, Guggenheim)

GIVEAWAY:  Win your own About Face game and an autographed copy of Saxton Freymann's book, Food Play !

Review: B. Symphony: Multi-Sensory Music Apprecation

 

My child asked me: What is harmony? Uh.. well...it's.... Somethings you can't explain in words but B. can help! photo. B. Toys

WHAT:  B. Symphony by B. Toys

DOES: learn about different instruments using colors, shapes, reading, touch, hearing- it's multi-sensory! 

INVEST:  $49.99 MSRP

AGES: 3+

TOOLS: Express Yourself, My Body Needs to Move

In Advance of Mothers Day....

This was passed on by Ellen McHugh at Parent to Parent of NY State. Thank you Ellen.  The author is anonymous.  This passage is right on.

My friend is expecting her first child. People keep asking what she wants. She smiles demurely, shakes her head and gives the answer mothers have given throughout the ages of time. She says it doesn't matter whether it's a boy or a girl. She just wants it to have ten fingers and ten toes. Of course, that's what she says. That's what mothers have always said.

Mothers lie.

Review + Giveaway: Peapod: Squeeze to Focus, Hug to Calm

Have you been wondering what it is like to go inside of an Abilitations Peapod?  We will tell you everything we know.

 
WHAT: Peapod (MEDIUM) by Abilitations

DOES:  envelop your child with indescribably comfortable pressure.  Helps them do certain tasks independently like.... READING... (and playing video games.. oh wait, they don't need so much help with that)

INVEST:  $89.99

AGES: This (pictured) is the medium that is well suited for 2nd and 3rd graders.  If you have a third grader, I'd say to go for the XL. If you have two kids, go for the XL.  The Peapod Jr fits PreK - 1st grade.

TOOLS: Family Fix-its, I Can Take Care of Myself, My Body Needs to Move
EXPERT OPINION: Pediatric Occupational Therapist Susan L. Roberts, MDiv, OTR/L

GIVEAWAY:  Win your OWN Peapod!!! Shipped FREE to your home!

DSM-V Propelled RE-Review : Bubble Talk: Perspective-Taking Can Be Hilariously Helpful

What would be a good caption for this?  Better yet, what would your friend think? 

NEWS: The DSM-V is coming! The DSM-V is coming! Quick, it's time to update your TOOLBOX!  Have you heard of "Social Communication Disorder"???  What's that? You think your boss has it?   Your spouse maybe?  Wait... let's be serious for one minute and talk about a very hilariously helpful game.

WHAT:  Bubble Talk Game  by Technosource
DOES: Encourages you to think about what would please someone else using outrageous humor and a little reading
INVEST: $22.99 MSRP
TOOLS:  Lose and Win Gracefully, Fertilize Responsibility and Courtesy, Foment the Love of Language

Review and Giveaway: Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty Hypercolors: Change Is Definitely Good

Bluebird's Nest by Number 2 using Twilight and Sunburst Hypercolor Putty by Crazy Aaron's PuttyWorld

WHAT:  Heat Sensitive Hypercolor Putty by Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty

DOES: fidget to focus, fidget to wake up your creativity, fidget and be social, fidget and make art, fidget and feel alive!!!

INVEST:  $11 MSRP (3.2 oz tin)

AGES: 3+  (I could do 2+ but only with supervision)

TOOLS: Family Fix-its, Holiday/Birthday Build-Uponner, Social Scene Helper, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer
EXPERT OPINION: Pediatric Occupational Therapist Susan L. Roberts, MDiv, OTR/L

GIVEAWAY and DISCOUNT CODE:  Win a tin of Glow-in-the-Dark Putty and one Heat Sensitive Hypercolor Putty too!  U.S. addresses only please...   See Discount Code info below.

Because you're HOT then you're COLD, it's YES then it's NO..... Hypercolor putty kind of acts like a person

Review and Giveaway: SolPals Moonbeams Flower or Star: Make Every Night "Earth Night"

Why can't we celebrate "Earth Night" too? This is our new night light.  It's a hybrid that uses sunlight for power but has a back-up for the cloudy days. 

WHAT: SolPals (solar-powered hybrid utility light/night light) Moonbeams Flower (or Star)

DOES: teaches kids how solar power can help conserve energy and increase safety at home; acts as emergency light

INVEST:  $29.95  (Moonbeams Mini-Projector is $19.95)  Additional Projector Lens can be purchased separately

AGES:1 minute old and up (because you can't be age Zero)

TOOLS: Family Fix-its, Fertilize Responsibility and Courtesy, Think Like a Scientist/Engineer

GIVEAWAY:  Win your own Moonbeam Mini-Projector! You choose the color! (U.S. Only please)

Small Yellow Campaign + Giveaway: Meet the Brick Artist: Nathan Sawaya

From Jenn to You: You must vote for Small Yellow on Cuusoo by the artist Nathan Sawaya.  You just simply have to... Photo courtesy of brickartist.com

WHAT: Vote for Small Yellow- created by Nathan Sawaya

DOES: Step 1 in my Campaign to Rescue Creativity

INVEST:  $ Your Time

TOOLS: EVERYTHING
GIVEAWAY: Everyone will get free units of happiness and hope- if you participate, you will get it instantly. If you send it to a friend, you'll get even more units.
AND... Win your own AUTOGRAPHED COPY of the book that is quickly disappearing off bookstore shelves all over the world...  The Art of Nathan Sawaya