Tag Archives: educational

Publications International Kids Books

  By Amy | November 19, 2008 - 9:23 pm | , , , , ,
203 Comments

UPDATE: CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR PI KIDS BOOKS WINNER!
*Cristie

Our winner has been notified via email

We have a good dozen or so Publications International Electronic Books lying around our house.  Wait, I take that back.  They are all in our daughter’s bedroom and she reads them in the morning when she wakes up.  She’s got them stacked in the bottom of her nightstand.

I have said this before about these books and I’ll say it again, they make GREAT, inexpensive gifts (under $20 each).  Personally, I think these are great books for the holidays.  They are a must-put-under-the-tree gift.  Grandparents, especially – if you are stumped on what to get your grandchild, we highly recommend scanning the list of Publications International books online or at retailers near you (Walmart, Kohl’s, Target, Costco, Sam’s Club, etc.)  To make it extremely easy for you, there is even a special holiday site set up that showcases multiple popular titles and are readily available for purchase.  Quick and easy.  That’s how I like my holiday shopping.

We’re pleased to offer three popular PI Interactive Books for giveaway.  Here are the titles and a bit of a description.  Giveaway entry details can be found below.

High School Musical Charm Book
Sing along to popular songs and learn exciting facts about their favorite superstars! Includes a MP3-like charm player and five charms. Insert a charm into the player to hear a snippet from one of five hit songs. The player has a clip that can be attached to a purse or backpack, so kids can take their favorite tunes with them. Features photos of the stars and lyrics for each song. Recommended for ages 5 to 8 years.

Little Star’s Big Adventure
Grab your flashlight and get ready to embark on a great adventure. Children cast shadows in the book or on the wall by shining the flashlight through shapes, cut-outs, and pop-ups throughout the story. The flashlight features five sound buttons that correspond to the story, adding more interactivity to the experience. Recommended for ages 3 to 7 years.

HSM Let’s Text Book

Exchange text messages with your favorite superstars! Throughout the story, a note on the page instructs kids to enter a 3-digit code into a PDA-like messaging pad. Press “receive,” and a text message from the star scrolls across the screen and is read aloud. The messages contain comments and questions related to the story, allowing the child to text back responses. Recommended for ages 6 years and up.

To enter: leave a comment on this giveaway post (comment section is located below the post, under “Category” and “Tags”.  In your entry comment, please tell us who will be the recipient of these books if you win (it’s ok if you want to keep them for yourself, too!).

A winner will be chosen at random and emailed the day after the giveaway closes.  Last day to enter is Friday, December 12, 2008 at midnight PST. Be sure to check your SPAM folder so you don’t miss the email notification.  This post will also be updated with the winner’s name and blog/website (if provided).
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*Take me back to the Holiday Giveaway Guide so I can enter more giveaways!
*Hosting a giveaway or posting a gift guide at your site?  Make sure you link to it on Mr. Linky HERE
*Do you “Twitter“?  We’d just adore you if you would “Tweet” about this giveaway!

LeapFrog DIDJ gaming handheld system

  By Amy | November 19, 2008 - 7:30 pm | , ,
1 Comment

UPDATE: CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR LEAPFROG DIDJ WINNER!
* Sarah H.

Our winner has been notified via email

I’ve “played” with enough LeapFrog toys over the past three years to tell you my honest opinion of this brand.  I think they make phenomenal products.  Any LeapFrog product that we have owned has more than exceeded my expectations for children’s toys.  They have been made with quality craftsmanship and I love that as my little girl grows, there is a LeapFrog product that she can grow into, year after year.

We are entertaining the LeapFrog Leapster2 right now but the next gaming handheld (for school-aged kids, 1st through 4th) is the LeapFrog DIDJ (ages 6-10).  What do I love so much about LeapFrog’s handhelds?  They make educational games for them!  Fun and education, hand-in-hand.  As a parent, I like the ring of that.

We’re giving away a DIDJ gaming handheld system of the winner’s choice, along with these three games:

The brand new Hannah Montana custom-learning game (8-11 yrs), the brand new Indiana Jones custom-learning game (7-10 yrs) and the brand new Nicktoons Android Invasion custom-learning game (7-10 yrs).

To enter: LeapFrog’s Learning Path is an online experience that lets you see and shape your child’s learning.  Include the answer to the following Learning Path question in your entry form:

“What are the three steps of LeapFrog’s Learning Path?”

(Hint: Click HERE)

Fill out the giveaway entry form below and click “SUBMIT”.  If you have successfully entered, you should get an auto email response (Check your spam folder).

A winner will be chosen at random and emailed the day after the giveaway closes.  Last day to enter is Friday, December 12, 2008 at midnight PST.  Be sure to check your SPAM folder so you don’t miss the email notification.  This post will also be updated with the winner’s name and blog/website (if provided).

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*Take me back to the Holiday Giveaway Guide so I can enter more giveaways!
*Hosting a giveaway or posting a gift guide at your site? Make sure you list it HERE
*Do you “Twitter“? We’d just adore you if you would “Tweet” about this giveaway!

VeggieTales…aaarrrgghhh!!!

  By Amy | October 8, 2008 - 5:59 am | , ,
245 Comments

Update: Congratulations to our winners: Marcia – our grand prize winner!  And our four runner-up winners: Lisa, Meredith, Sarah and Tonya

That was my best pirate imitation, like it?

What better way to kick off a slew of Fall / Halloween posts and giveaways than by offering up VeggieTales prizes!  We love these little veggies around our house and we’re giving you a chance to have them hang around yours too.

Set Sail for Adventure!
This year’s big screen hit comes to DVD! Join the comic misadventures of a boatload of Veggie pals who reluctantly set sail for adventure and discover what it really means to be a hero! The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything is coming to DVD October 14th!

You can visit these links to download FREE Fun tools such as Buddy Icons & Desktop Wallpaper:

http://bigidea.com/other/piradvd_fun.aspx
http://bigidea.com/products/shows/shows_content.aspx?pid=684

And now, for the PRIZES!

One (1) Grand Prize Winner will receive:

  • Copy of the new DVD
  • Sticker Pack
  • Inflatable Sword
  • Movie Poster

(Grand Prize MSRP: $41.95)

Four (4) Runners up will receive:

  • Copy of the new DVD (MSRP: $29.99)

To enter this giveaway:

Leave a comment on this post (comment section is located underneath the post).

In your entry comment, let us know what your favorite “veggie” is.  Is it carrots?  Celery?  Maybe you like peas? (Gross).  You can enter even if you are not a blogger.  One grand prize winner will be chosen (not base on comment) and four runners-up will also be chosen randomly.  This giveaway ends on Monday, November 3rd.   Winners will be notified via email on the morning of Nov. 4th (check your spam folder!) and will also be listed on this post.

Guess what – MumsTheWurd has the SAME giveaway running!  Head over THERE and double your chances of winning.   ; )

As I Grow: The DVD series that grows with them

  By Amy | September 8, 2008 - 2:15 pm | , , ,
Comments Off

*Update: Congratulations to Melinda S., our winner of the “As I Grow” DVD series!

The As I Grow series is a great set of developmental learning DVD’s that you can use as early as you bring home your newborn.  We used them with our daughter.  No need to go out and buy a new DVD when your baby passes that newborn stage, as this educational series consists of six discs that you use according to their development stage (click on each link to get a sneak peak of the disc stage): up to 3 months, 3 to 6 months, 6 to 9 months, 9 to 12 months, 12 to 15 months and 15 to 18 months.

We have a set of the As I Grow DVDs to giveaway.  To enter, head over to the Egghead Learning Systems website and grab the answer the following question:

“At what age can babies see almost as clearly and as far as adults? “

Hint: click here.  Come back, fill out the form below including your answer to the above question and click “Submit”.  Voila.  You’ve entered to win.  This giveaway ends on Friday, September 19th.  The winner will be notified via email the morning of the 20th (check your spam folder!) and we will update this post after the winner has been chosen.

*Other ParentSphere contests:

Ju-Ju-Be BeLight bag – ends 9/12/08
My First Shades – ends 9/17/08

LeapFrog Tag: Reading the next generation way

  By Amy | June 25, 2008 - 9:56 pm | , , , ,
326 Comments

leapfrog

leapfrog tagIt’s out on the shelves now and Tag! You’re it! It’s time to head out to your nearest LeapFrog product retailer and pick up this brand new, sensational reading tool…for the kids of the next generation.

I’m still amazed at how far technology has come even in the past five or so years. I sit and watch my toddler run this over-sized pen along a sentence in the accompanying book and it actually READS the story to her. She taps a word on a page and the pen SAYS the word. Pretty fantastic, in my opinion.

The Tag is quite easy to set up and use. Load the software onto your computer (disc included/Mac and PC compatible), connect the Tag to your computer via USB (cord provided) and follow a few simple instructions to load the books onto the pen-like reading device. The Ozzie and Mack book (our favorite) comes with your Tag. You can also connect the Tag to your computer and use it online at LeapFrog’s Learning Path.

“The Tag Reading System is the first handheld learn-to-read technology that interacts directly with real books. Audio for the stories, as well as the fun-filled games and activities spread throughout the pages, offers early readers an entirely new and captivating reading experience. By simply touching the Tag reader anywhere on any page of a Tag-enabled book, children can bring their favorite stories to life, easily skipping from page to page or book to book.“

So, we’re totally digging this new product and highly recommend picking one up for your kiddo or purchasing one as a gift for someone. The Tag retails around $50 dollars and can be found at most major retailers that carry LeapFrog products. Additional accessories for the reading system, like books, retail around $14/ea. There are quite a few books in the LeapFrog library to choose from right now. I can’t wait to pick up more!

PS: I highly recommend checking out the live Tag Demo by clicking HERE and scrolling down the left-side of the page to “Try the Tag Demo”.

My toddler, Hailey, using Tag on her new Tag Cars “Tractor Tipping” book:

Little Scholastic: Summer Reading Goodie Bag Giveaway

  By Amy | June 17, 2008 - 9:15 pm | , ,
330 Comments

little scholastic giveaway

*Update: Congratulations to our winners: Carolyn N., Marlene, Ana, Mel B. and Beth, our winners of the Little Scholastic Summer Reading Goodie Bag giveaway.  Thanks to all who entered!

We have a teamed up with Little Scholastic to bring you a pretty fantastic Summer Reading Goodie Bag giveaway. Read on to learn more about Little Scholastic:

“From the most trusted name in learning comes Little Scholastic, a developmental publishing program that introduces reading to babies and toddlers ages birth to three years. Each book features rhyming, repetitive, or predictable text, interactive components, and familiar subjects—all formatted to delight babies, toddlers, and parents. Visit www.littlescholastic.com for expert advice and articles, parenting tips, book information, and more!”

little scholastic goodie bag

The Summer Reading Goodie Bag Prize Package includes:

  • A Summer Tote
  • 5 Book Titles: Peek-a-Zoo, Star, Numbers, Petting Farm &Twinkle Twinkle Panda

Perfect to bring along to the beach, pool or picnic!

TO ENTER:

Leave your entry comment on this post. In your comment, let us know if you have a favorite summer read – could be a kid’s book or a book for yourself. We’ll compile your comments and post them on our site or in our weekly newsletter.

FIVE MTW readers will be chosen randomly (not based on entry comment subject matter) and notified via email. This giveaway ends on Monday, July 14th. We will announce the winners on our site after receiving confirmation.

Good luck!

Star 50 Handbags and Make it Right Foundation

  By Amy | February 17, 2008 - 9:41 pm |
2 Comments

I recently reviewed Star 50 Handbags and just wanted to let you know what else makes them such a fine company besides having fabulous handbags.

Star 50 Handbags has graciously offered to donate 5% of all sales from the Louisiana Market Sac to the Make it Right Foundation (MIR9).

For those of you who are not familiar with the MIR9 project and foundation, here is a summary:

  • “Make It Right” was created by Brad Pitt in December of 2006.
  • The foundation is inspired by the courage and hope of the residents of the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans.The initial goal is to construct 150 eco-friendly homes on 14 square blocks of New Orleans Lower 9th Ward using sustainable materials that are healthy for families and the environment.
  • The concept of “The Pink Project” is to reflect the progress of the rebuild in real time.
  • The individual pink “components” or “volumes” lay at the site and are assembled as progress is made. When enough donations have been raised to cover one house, 3-4 “volumes” are pieced together to show a placeholder for a house.
  • The ultimate goal of the Make It Right project is to build these eco-friendly homes throughout New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.
  • As of Sunday, February 17, 2008, the money for 78 of the 150 houses has been donated and over 3/4 of the funds for the 79th house have been raised.

I fully encourage you to head over to the Make It Right website and check out the full details of this project. I spent a good four hours or so clicking through the site the other day and familiarizing myself with what is going on down there. I’m actually in contact with the folks at MIR9 to possibly set up a “Team House“, so that when you donate, you can donate through our house and show your support in re-building this devastated area of New Orleans.

Here are some details regarding making donations:

  • You can purchase items for the Donation House (from $5 for faucet aerators to $150,000 for the entire house)
  • You can purchase merchandise and the all proceeds will be applied toward building new Make It Right homes
  • Donations are tax-deductible

Kudos goes to Star 50 Handbags for supporting this fantastic cause!