Meet Master Moves Mickey!

Fisher-Price has long been a go-to toy manufacturer for our family.  Ashley’s 19 now, but her first Christmas (at just one month old), she received a Fisher-Price tape player to attach to her crib – and the following year was filled with LOTS of Little People!  And I still remember playing with my own Little People, many years ago! 

So, when we were given the opportunity to try a new toy from Fisher-Price, this one with a Disney twist (another favorite around here), we were thrilled!  Enter Master Moves Mickey! 

When Master Moves Mickey (otherwise known as “M3”) arrived, it was like Christmas at our house!  Ian and I couldn’t wait to get him out of the box and see what he could do.  We played and danced with him and then he took up residence on my desk (because he’s just way too cute to throw in the toybox!) 

In addition to Mickey, we also received 4 M3 t-shirts and 4 little towels (to wipe the sweat from your brown after all that dancing!)  Since Ashley is a nanny, she thought it would be fun to take both Ian and Mickey to work with her and have a Master Moves Mickey Party with the kids.  THEY LOVED IT! 

They started out their party by making refreshments together.

Then, they got down to business (dance business, that is!)

If you have busy little ones in your life, Master Moves Mickey would make a great Christmas gift this year!  And, dare I say it?  He’d also make a great gift for that Disney Lover in your life too. Yes, I admit, even if I didn’t have kids, I’d get a kick out of this little guy.  His dance moves seriously make me smile! 

Master Moves Mickey can be purchased directly from Fisher-Price and is also available at your local department and toy stores.  Currently, I’ve found the best price to be at Amazon.com (with FREE Super-Saver Shipping!) 

What do you think?  He looks pretty cute, huh?  Will your kids find M3 under the Christmas tree this year?

 

SPECIAL THANKS to Ashley, Ian, and the Three E’s for enjoying Master Moves Mickey for the sake of this post! 

NOTE: I received Master Moves Mickey for free with the hopes that I would share him with others and post about him on my blog.  I was not obligated to post a positive review.  This post contains an affiliate link.

PLAYMOBIL® Take Along Soccer Match

I don’t know about where you live, but here in central PA, soccer season is in full swing.  My little soccer player is in his second season of playing outdoor soccer with the local town league.  He’s moved up to the U8 team this year and is learning more about plays and staying in position. 

A few weeks ago, I showed him a picture of a new soccer set that is available from PLAYMOBIL® and he immediately said that he’d love to have one!  He watched the mail each day, eagerly awaiting its arrival. 

When it finally arrived, he couldn’t wait for me to open the box.  I have to admit, I was pretty excited too.  Surrounding the carrying-case style toy was this box wrapper – just the picture makes you want to dive right in and get started playing some soccer, doesn’t it?  I’m not the least bit athletic, but it looked fun even to me!

The Take Along Soccer Match comes in a self-contained briefcase-style container.  There is a little assembly required to play, but not very much.  You have to remove the handle and another connecting piece – then you’re ready to set up the soccer match.

When you lay out the two sides of the case, you end up with a 22 x 33 inch field. 

There were some stickers that I needed to put along the sides of the field.  Then we were ready to check out the players!

The figures have a leg that kicks to propel the ball forward, which helps make playtime more realistic. There are also goalie figures that connect to goal joystick, which allows kids to control the goalies’ movements from behind the goal net.  These goalies, and the goals themselves, need to be removed after play in order to close up the play set. 

The PLAYMOBIL Take Along Soccer Match is ideal for kids ages five to ten; because of small parts it is not recommended for little ones under the age of three.  Should I share here that while my 6 year old son loves the soccer match, I’ve also caught my 12 year old daughter and my 43 year old husband playing as well?

They are both pretty competitive and had fun challenging each other!

As a mother, my favorite part of the PLAYMOBIL® Take Along Soccer Match is that it is all self-contained in a small carrying case.  Not only is it mobile – for take-along fun (my son has enjoyed carrying it along to Mimi’s on a few occasions already) but it’s also very easy to store. 

GIVEAWAY!

Thanks to PLAYMOBIL®  and MyBlogSpark, I have another PLAYMOBIL® Take Along Soccer Match to give away to one lucky reader!  If you would like to win, simply enter using the Rafflecopter widget below!

Can’t wait to see if you have won?! Visit Playmobilusa.com to redeem the coupon code US72A12C for 20% off Playmobil Take Along items.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  The information and gift packs have been provided by PLAYMOBIL USA through MyBlogSpark.

K’nex Mario™ & Yoshi™ Finish Line Building

Last year, I had opportunity to review a product from the K’nex for Education line.  That was all it took to get Gracie (11) interested in – and possibly even addicted to – K’nex!  She has since purchased several K’nex building kits with her own money. And Ian (5) has become a K’nex fanatic as well.  (So far, his favorites have been the Monster Truck building sets.)

When I was asked if I’d be interested in reviewing another K’nex product, I knew I had to say “yes”.  Thing is, though, we had no idea what we’d be getting to review. I figured it didn’t really matter – my kids would love anything from K’nex.

But, boy, were they thrilled when the box arrived and we opened it to find this:

Man, those Mario brothers have been around, haven’t they?  I remember my younger brothers playing Mario brothers games way back in the 80’s! 

Gracie and Ian made short order of emptying the contents of the box and organizing them to start the building process.  This particular set is for ages 6 and up, so Gracie took the leadership role and really didn’t want Ian to help – but he insisted!  Here are some pictures of the building process:

 

It didn’t take long to get the track together!  Then they were ready to work on the cars:

Here’s some general information about this kit from the K’nex website:

Bring Mario™ Kart™ Wii to life! Race Mario™ and Yoshi™ to the Finish Line of the Mario™ Circuit Track. The set includes the parts to build Mario™ and Yoshi™, 2 Wild Wing Karts with super-fast, battery-powered motors, a buildable Goombas obstacle and 2 collectible items from the game: a Red Turtle Shell and Bullet Bill! Also includes 16 pieces of buildable, interconnectable track that creates a closed loop - combine this set with other sets from the Mario™ Kart™ Wii Series to build even bigger tracks!

Features...

• Build Mario™ in his Wild Wing Kart and Yoshi™ in his Wild Wing Kart
• Buildable Finish Line
• Buildable Goombas obstacle with swinging action
• 2 Super-fast, battery-powered motors for karts
• 2 collectible items: Red Turtle Shell and Bullet Bill
• 16 pieces of buildable track create a closed loop

The kids had a ball playing with this set! I was amazed by how fast the  cars can go!  We have since seen this set for sale in several stores, and  Ian has expressed an interest in collecting more of the sets in this series to add to our track.  This particular set sells for $49.99.  Other sets in the series range in price from $9.99 to $99.99, so there’s something for all your gift-buying needs.  I would venture to guess that most boys would love to find something like this under the Christmas tree! 

I have never been disappointed with K’nex products.  They are durable and built to last. Though seemingly pricey, they are both educational and valuable, as your kids will get years of use out of these!

I’ll leave you with a video that we took of the cars moving on the track:

Guidecraft’s Hideaway Country Kitchen

Every August, my hubby and my dad head to Iowa for a week of dirt-track racing.  It just so happens that, during the very week he was away, I received Guidecraft’s Hideaway Country Kitchen for review.  Now, being the modern, stubborn, and impatient woman that I am, I decided that I could easily put together this kitchen set on my own. Ha!  Was I in for a surprise!

Let’s just say it’s a very good thing that I didn’t have a camera handy and my kids didn’t decide to sneak any pictures of me putting this thing together.  I’ve shared in other “some assembly required” product reviews that I am not a fan of the picture directions.  I much prefer some words to be included in my directions.  The directions for the Hideaway Country Kitchen were pictures only (which I call “men’s directions”); and I do. not. like. them.

For me, the worst parts of the assembly were attaching the front to the back, and putting on the knobs.  It was so frustrating that I ended up putting all the pieces aside and re-examining the situation the next day.  Eventually, though, I did get it together.

And it’s adorable!

The cuteness factor and the durability factor pretty much make up for the stress during assembly.  Once I got it together, stood back, and looked at it, I felt pretty good about myself and about the product in general.  I liken it to childbirth – once you have that baby in your arms, the pain all goes away, right?

I so wish I would have had this gorgeous kitchen set when Ashley was a little girl.  She had a Fisher Price kitchen set; and, while nice, the plastic versions just don’t compare to this lovely wooden kitchen.  My Gracie was not a role-playing child; so I don’t know that she would have really appreciated it.  Ian (5) was very excited when I was putting the kitchen together (needless to say he was very disappointed when I took a break from the assembly process).  He thinks the kitchen is quite neat; but he uses it more as a “hardware” center than a kitchen set.  I guess that’s ok – it’s sparking some imagination in him, which I love seeing! 

While the kitchen set is referred to as “hideaway”, I don’t think this should be a deciding factor for whether or not to purchase it.  I would have assumed it was easy to fold when not in use and slide under a bed; but, not so much.  Folding it up requires the removal of a large bolt in the front of the kitchen; so it’s definitely not something you want to fold up each night at bedtime and store ‘til the next day.  It’s more of a folding option for storing away when your child outgrows the kitchen. 

This kitchen is available from Guidecraft  for $200. While expensive, I think it would certainly make a great gift for that special little girl in your life (you just might want to defer to your hubby – or another man in your life – for assembly).

You can visit the Homeschool Crew blog to see what others had to say about the Hideaway Country Kitchen, along with lots of other great products!

NOTE: I received the kitchen set mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. I only recommend products or services that I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Snap Fashion Jewelry Studio by Smart Lab Toys

We recently received the Snap Fashion Jewelry Studio for review. My 10-year-old daughter always enjoys a good craft kit, and this one was no exception. 

Actually, that may not be entirely true . . . I think this kit IS an exception, simply because she loved it so much!  It took her no time at all to decide that this kit was something pretty special and she quickly created all the included “snaps” using the material provided.  Then, she started making up ideas in her head of other things she could create using this kit; and she’s been carrying the accompanying book around with her for days, just perusing it and chatting about it! 

We even went out and bought extra material for her to use on the snaps.  AND, she raided her dad’s closet for an old tie and swiped a scarf from her older sister – all to feed her addiction to this kit!  She enjoyed sharing her creations with my mom the other day – showing off the things she has created. It’s been fun to watch her excitement.

But, alas, the kit is all used up.  We searched online for a refill kit to no avail.  So, I e-mailed the company, asking if such a kit is available.  I got a very prompt reply (I e-mailed over the weekend and heard back from them first thing Monday morning).  They are currently working on developing refill kits.  That put a smile on Gracie’s face.

One con to this kit is the circle template that is included.  It’s hard plastic and snaps onto the bottom of the “snap maker”.  However, ours went missing the first day and we have yet to find it.  We easily created a new one with cardstock; but, obviously ours isn’t as nice or as durable.  I wish it would have been something that would have fit into the little “pockets” on the top of the product, rather than on the underside.

Snap Fashion Jewelry Studio is a product of Smart Lab Toys.  It is available for $24.99 direct from the company; or you can purchase from Amazon and select retailers. Follow SmartLab Toys on Facebook and/or Twitter for deals and discounts, playtime ideas and free stuff.  You can also subscribe to their e-newsletter, and receive a 25% off coupon with your first newsletter.  SmartLab Toys also has free download-able activities for kids!  Check it out:  http://www.smartlabtoys.com/free-zone.html.

Guess what?!  I have a giveaway for you!

Smart Lab Toys has generously offered to provide one of my readers with one product (his/her choice) of Smart Lab Toys!

All you need to do to win is visit the Smart Lab Toys website and look around.  Then, come back here and leave a comment telling me what product you would pick if you are the winner.  That simple!

If you would like a few more chances to win, do one or more of the following (and leave a separate comment for each one):

• Follow Smart Lab Toys on FB (using the link above)
• Follow Smart Lab Toys on Twitter (using the link above)
• Follow Heidi’s Reviews & Reflections on FB (use the link in my sidebar)
• Follow me on Twitter (use the link in my sidebar)
• Post about this giveaway on your blog, Facebook page, or Twitter – with a direct link back to this post

I will leave this giveaway open through next Tuesday, May 10th, at noon (EST), at which time I’ll draw a random winner.  Good luck!

NOTE: This is a MamaBuzz review. The product was provided by Smart Lab Toys for this review.  I was not compensated in any other way and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

Boysterous Review & Giveaway

One of the things that was a concern for me when I first became the mother of a little  boy was finding decent toys for him to play with.  Sure, there are always cars and trucks – and those are great.  But, I’ve never been impressed with all the super hero type action figures, etc. that are available for boys.  I always found the boys’ aisle in toy stores depressing and borderlining on scary.  It’s ok when they are babies and toddlers – toys are pretty much universal.  But, once they start hitting those preschool years (and beyond) the toy selection is, to me, daunting. 

So, when the opportunity to review the Boysterous (TM) line of toys from Manhattan Toy was presented to me, I got excited!  Manhattan Toy refers to them as “action figures” but don’t let that term scare you off!  These are unlike any other action figure I’ve ever seen!  Rather  than being small, plastic, hard, and next to impossible to pose without breaking, these toys are larger, soft, and easy to pose without threat of breaking.

Instead of being modeled after super heroes or movie characters, these toys are meant to look like ordinary boys.  There are currently 5 different action figures available – Halfpipe Pete, Goalie Gavin, Slapshot Sam, Slope Shreddin’ Sean, and Touchdown Dylan.  Each of these sells for approximately $18, and comes with their appropriate sports equipment.  Each one has arms and legs that bend, and magnets in his feet and hands so that he can “play” his sport with ease.

We received the two action figures pictured above, along with the Boysterous Extreme Sports Zone.  This is a 2-sided playing zone – one side lays flat and is the perfect sports field for playing soccer, football, or hockey; flip it over, zip up the sides, and you’ve got a half-pipe, ideal for the snowboarding and skateboarding action figures to show off on.  Zippers and Velco flaps make this play mat quickly convert into a storage case, complete with carrying handle.  So, all your Boysterous action figures can be kept in one place. 

Yes, you could say that I’m pretty impressed.  Action figures that aren’t the least bit violent or scary – yep, I like them a lot!  But, the real test is Ian, right?  What does he think?  I’m pretty sure he loves it too!

 

Now, for the CONTEST!!! Manhattan Toy is generously donating one Boysterous action figure to one of YOU!

If you would like to win, please visit Manhattan Toy and look around the site. Then, come back here and tell me which product appeals to you the most, and why. 

And, just for fun, here are some additional ways you can win (please leave a separate comment for each thing that you do):

• Like Manhattan Toy on Facebook (be sure to leave them a comment telling them you found them through my blog!)
• Like my blog on Facebook
• Follow Manhattan Toy on Twitter
• Follow me on Twitter
• Follow my blog
• Place my blog’s button on your blog
• Tweet about this giveaway
• Share this giveaway on FB
• Post about this giveaway on your blog (leave 3 comments)

I will leave this contest open for 2 weeks, and will draw a winner on Friday, April 22nd at noon (EST).  Good luck!

NOTE: This is a MamaBuzz review. The product was provided by Manhattan Toy for this review.

Bob Books Reading Magic app & GIVEAWAY

Ian and I received a free download of this iPod add to review.

For years, I have heard others in the homeschool community raving about Bob Books, but I had never actually seen them.  So, when the opportunity presented itself to test and review this new app, I thought it would be a fun chance to see what all the Bob Books Brags were about. 

Here is a bit about this app:

For over 30 years, Bob Books, the bestselling series published by Scholastic has successfully taught millions of children how to read. Popular among preschoolers, Montessori teachers and Homeschoolers alike, the brand has stood the test of time. Now - Bob Books is available for the iPhone. In partnership with educational children’s iPhone developer Learning Touch, Bob Books just launched their first iPhone app, Bob Books Reading Magic. Can we offer you a promo code so you can review it?

Bob Books Reading Magic shows kids how to make the connection between letters and sounds, sound out simple words and spell the words they’ve read. The game includes twelve scenes for a total of 32 words. Four game levels provide increasing challenges to children as they play.

Bob Books Reading Magic is just a few clicks away in the iTunes App Store. Check it out; we think you'll be impressed.

Bob Books Reading Magic will show your child how to:
-Make the connection between letters and sounds.
-Sound out simple words.
-Spell the words they’ve read.

The game includes twelve scenes for a total of 32 words. Four game levels provide increasing challenges to children as they play.

Bob Books Reading Magic follows the same method and principles as the #1 bestselling Bob Books series. Bob Books were created to lead to the ah-ha moment when letters first turn into words. By slowly introducing new letter sounds, using consistency, repetition and stories that fit short attention spans, your child will quickly find his or her own ah-ha moment. This is the reading magic of Bob Books. Soon your child will join over 3 million children who can proudly say, “I read the whole book!”

Ian has really been enjoying playing with this app.  As a matter of fact, we’ve been fighting over my iPod an awful lot lately and I have a feeling that this app may have something to do with that. 

Previously, we had downloaded some of the FirstWords apps, also by Learning Touch.  This Bob Books app works very similar to those, with the child choosing and sliding the letters into the appropriate boxes.  It took him no time at all to pick up on how it worked, and he’s definitely learning.  The neat thing is, though, that he thinks he’s playing!  I love that!

GIVEAWAY!  I have one free app download for one of my readers.  This app is available for iPod/iPhone or iPad – winner’s choice. 

To be entered in the drawing, please leave me a comment telling me what most appeals to you about this app.

For more ways to win (leave separate comments for each):

• Follow my Blog (1 entry)
• Put my blog button on your blog (2 entries)
• Follow my blog on FB (1 entry)
• Follow me on Twitter (1 entry)
• Like Bob Books on Facebook (1 entry)
• Follow Bob Books on Twitter (1 entry)
• Follow Learning Touch on Twitter (1 entry)
• Post about this contest on your blog with a link back to this post (5 entries)
• Tweet about this contest with a link back (2 entries)
• Share about this contest on your FB page (2 entries)

That’s lots of ways to win!  So, good luck!  I’ll close this contest next Monday, January 10th and will draw a random winner at NOON (EST). 

Did you buy your PET a Christmas gift?

If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you probably know that we have 2 Pugs.  If you’d have asked me 2 years ago if we’d ever get a dog, I would have said – very emphatically – NO WAY!  But, sometimes life throws you little surprises!  Over a year ago, the opportunity presented itself for us to get a purebred Pug for only $50.  A year later, I had a temporary lapse in sanity, and thought Sallie needed a sister – so Lizzie joined our family. 

These girls are just too sweet!  They add a certain dynamic to our family that wasn’t there before (sometimes it’s stress, but that’s beside the point).  In any case, we love them – so, of course, we want to get them Christmas presents (I’ve got some ready and tucked away for them!)

We had the opportunity to review some new dog toys from Hartz - - -

Hartz® Tuff Stuff™ Nose Divers™ are durable toys with a heavy-duty nylon shell and durable twisted rope that are perfect for tug-of-war games. Recommended Retail Price: $5.99

Hartz® Dura Play® Ball: With long-lasting, washable foam-filled latex material, these dog toys are ideal for toss and retrieve games. In addition, its texture is perfect for dogs that love to chew.

Sallie and Lizzie see the UPS man and Fed-Ex man all the time.  I’m sure they must wonder about all the boxes that enter our house.  Needless to say, they were both quite pleased to see me open a box that contained something for THEM!  Their little curled up tails started wagging with delight when I dropped the new dog toys on the floor for them.

The girls love anything that squeaks so they were pleased to hear that both of these toys had a squeaker.  However, the toys we received were a little big for their little Pug selves (both our girls are small, by Pug standards). Sallie will occasionally attempt to carry the ball around, but it’s HUGE for her.  They will both play with the stuffed duck on occasion – often both laying on the floor, chewing on opposite ends of the toy.  Because it is big and they are small, there’s plenty of duck to go around!

Should I confess that the girls and I are rather obsessed with the ball?  If it were not for the fact that the dogs have already had it in their mouth, I might even be tempted to try a chew on it!  I love sitting and squeaking it – it’s just got a really fun sound.  Ian actually tucked it under my recliner last night so that when I attempted to get up, it squeaked repeatedly!  Smart boy!  I may decide to be generous and give that ball to my parents’ dogs who are slightly larger and would be more able to handle it. 

I’d most definitely recommend both of these toys – they’d make great gifts for the furry friends in your life!  Be sure to check out the Hartz website – you’ll find a $1 coupon here!

NOTE: This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by Hartz for this review.

Christmas Idea #1 – The Baffler

Over the next several weeks, I’m going to be posting reviews for some products that you might like to add to your Christmas lists – either for you or the kids! 

I’d like to start out this series of reviews by introducing you to a neat item that we recently discovered  - - -

THE BAFFLER

The Baffler “is designed by artist extraordinaire, Chris Yates (see more of his work at www.chrisyates.net). The Baffler is a brand new concept for Ceaco, and there are very few artists making puzzles the way Yates makes the Bafflers. ”

The Baffler is recommended for ages 12+.  It is available in 3 different designs and costs only $9.99 (online). 

We received the Spiral of Archimedes Baffler (shown above).  I expected this to be something that Ashley and I would enjoy.  But, before we had a chance to even touch it, Gracie scarfed it up!  She’s only 10, but she’s got what we call “puzzle brain”.  She loves doing any kind of brain-teaser type things. 

She LOVES the Baffler!  The first few times she did it, she looked at the picture of it.  Now, she just does it on her own.  We’ve had it for several weeks and she’s not bored with it yet.  She does it at least once a day (many days more!)  She’s already asked if she might have another one for Christmas. 

In the picture I posted above, you can see that the Baffler comes with a border and all the pieces have to fit inside that border.  Gracie likes using a breakfast tray to lay out all the pieces – this way, she can take the Baffler with her anywhere she goes!

Here is some more information about The Baffler, taken from the company’s press release:

Each puzzle image is randomly designed and cut in the oddest ways to make it as tricky as possible. The Baffler has no straight edges, no overlapping images and many unique shapes. Each of the three puzzles in the series has a unique piece count: 67 pieces, 69 pieces and 78 pieces.

“Chris Yates is a true jack of all trades, dabbling in many forms of art,” says Donna Webster, Vice President of Licensing for Ceaco.  “His creativity shines through in the Baffler, which will really stand out on the shelves because it is so fun and colorful. It’s something we haven’t seen before, so it’s an exciting new venture and certainly a new concept within the puzzle market.”

If you have any hard-to-buy-for people on your Christmas list, I’d definitely recommend the Baffler.  It’s affordable and fun!  And, if Gracie is any indication, it’s also addicting!  Again, here is the link to purchase online. 

NOTE: I received The Baffler for free in exchange for our use and review of it on my blog.  I was not compensated in any other way and the thoughts shared herein are entirely my own. 

Tomica Toy Line

TOMY Corporation is introducing it’s long-running Tomica Line (from Japan) here in the U.S. – just in time for holiday gift buying!  This toy line is available exclusively in Toys “R” Us stores.  Initially, the line will include 7 die-cast car sets, 3 train sets, 6 accessory sets, 6 destination sets, and 5 deluxe play sets – all of which can be combined to make one large “city” of toy fun for boys!

We received a small sample from this new toy line for review.  Ian has been enjoying playing with this parking lot set (which came with one die-cast car):

All the pieces snap together quite simply, so you’re little guy is able to start playing right away. 

Ian loves playing with this set and would very much enjoy adding more of these smaller sets to his collection.  Here’s an idea of what your “city” could look like by combining several of these smaller sets into one big set:

The recommended age for these toys is 4 and up, due to small parts.  I’m thinking that, if you’ve got destructive little boys, you may want to wait and introduce these playsets when they are a bit older (maybe 6 or 7).  The people, trees, and signs, etc. are quite small and I’m not sure how well they’d hold up to rough usage.  Ian loves the set though, and I’m sure he’ll get lots of use out of it. 

TOMY has been a name that we have come to know and trust here in the U.S.  The Tomica line has been in production in Japan for 40 years, so has a similar reputation. 

Again, these sets can be purchased at Toys “R” Us (both in-store and online).  Prices range from $4.99 - $79.99, so there’s something for just about any price-range.  More information can be found here.

NOTE: I received a free playset in exchange for my son’s use and our honest review of this product here on my blog.  We were not compensated in any other way.