As the mother of a curious and precocious six year old, I am a big fan of all of the STEAM toys that are available lately. I especially like any opportunity I get to reinforce the idea to my daughter that she is free to enjoy whatever it is she likes and that there is not such thing as a “girl’s toy or boy’s toy”. My daughter told me she wants to be a paleontologist when she grows up and I like that idea. The Discover Kids Dinosaur Factivity is a perfect toy for any up and coming dinosaur hunter. The first and most prominent feature is a ten piece dinosaur model that your child can assemble. My daughter and her dad had a great time putting together this triceratops and going over all of the features of the skeleton. My six year old needed some help from her dad, but the bones assemble pretty quickly and easily. The final product is a very cool miniature skeleton. Even better is the Land of Dinosaurs book that accompanies the skeleton with the Discover Kids Dinosaur … [Read more...]

*Disclaimer: I was sent this Find It Eww Gross for purposes of review. All thoughts are mine and it totally cracked me up to look for boogers! Have you ever wanted a game that your kids could play by themselves and it made them quiet for hours? How about that perfect toy to bring on long car rides? Something that keeps them entertained while suffering that long wait a the Doctor's office? Find It is your answer! A clear tube, filled with all sorts of treasures among a batch of colorful plastic pellets. By spinning it, twisting it, shaking it and turning it, you can find the different items. It is basically a scavenger hunt in a bottle! While there are several different versions of the game, we were sent "Eww Gross". That is the list that is actually printed on the end of the game...all items inside just waiting to be discovered! The Find It Eww Gross game also comes with 27 playing cards that can turn it into a timed challenge with other players. While the … [Read more...]

When I was a kid, I used to love all of the educational shows that would come on TV before & after school. Bill Nye, and Reading Rainbow are just two of many that I enjoyed during my own childhood. One show that I also enjoyed when I was a kid and that is still popular all these years later, is The Magic School Bus. It was jam-packed with humor, educational and animated in a style that easily got kids hooked on the series. Now that I have my own daughter I've found that The Magic School Bus is still pretty popular, so, I've loved being able to introduce my daughter to something that I used to love so much. The fact that it is also filled to bursting with a plethora of educational content, specifically science, was just an added bonus. Read on to learn why I think Science Explosion is a Total Blast! Recently I was given the opportunity to work with a company by the name of The Young Scientist Club; given my daughters interest in science as a subject, I was only too happy to … [Read more...]

I LOVE toys, seriously! My Mom has been using me as a toy tester for several years now for different articles she wrote or even TV segments...and this is one I REALLY wanted to like, but it came up a little short. Sadly, Our Chocolate Pen, Comes Up Empty. Kids BELONG in the kitchen so they can be taught math and science on the sly -- fractions with measuring and chemistry in baking. Toys that work with this are usually right up my STEM alley...and just listen to some of the descriptions: The push-button design makes it easy for kids to play with the chocolate and the molds mean anyone can make Pinterest-worthy shapes and treats. Um. Just no... We DID read the Chocolate Pen directions, and followed them. The chocolate was a tad hard to prepare: you could easily melt it in a glass of warm water but it was hard to snap the clamps on the bags once the tip was inserted. (Totally an adult job). The push-button design does not react quickly...if you STOP, some chocolate … [Read more...]

Happy Birthday Kidz Bop! This is the big "birthday" celebration for music any mom can feel comfortable with their kids listening to. Ever since I was a kid I've been a lover of music. From classical to country to rock and even jazz, there is almost nothing that I won't listen to. Whether I'm in the car with my family or at home completing my daily household chores, some of my most peaceful moments have been while listening to music. This is a love that I've managed to pass down to my daughter and something that we can share in together; I love being able to share the same tastes and in some cases, the same favorite artists as well. When it comes to music, it almost goes without saying that I can't let my daughter listen to everything I like due to the natural of lyrics these days but with the help of Kidz Bop, the limits I have to set are few and far between thanks to their kid friendly versions of the latest hits. Since arriving on the music scene in 2001, Kidz Bop has been … [Read more...]