Play Smart Activity Books

A product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.

Are you looking for something to entertain your children (and help their learning!) on these cold winter days when they can't get outside??? Then let me recommend Play Smart Activity Books! My children have loved doing the activities and having fun learning!

Children as young as 2 years old will love Play Smart activity books. From the #1 educational publisher in Japan, the books were created by a team of developmental psychologists and child development experts to insure that the content, art, and design appeal to children at each stage of their growth.

Each of these innovative titles puts the emphasis on FUN. While children are enjoying a completely engaging mix of activities—tracing, matching, counting, solving mazes, and drawing pictures—they are building important skills. They are playing, but they are also:

• matching and sorting items by shape and color
• strengthening observational skills
• building fine motor coordination
• exercising their creativity and curiosity
• boosting problem-solving skills
• enhancing their focus

Every Play Smart activity book...

• is competitively priced at $6.99
• has parent notes to expand the learning
• includes 80+ colorful reward and activity stickers
• comes with a wipe-clean game board
• has been proven successful by tens of millions of children in Japan!

Plus, Play Smart activity books have been raking in the awards! Early Learning 2+, Early Learning 3+, and School Skills 4+ have been given Family Choice Awards and Early Learning 3+ also won a National Parenting Product Award (NAPPA).

Keep those children entertained and learning this winter with these great activity books from Play Smart!

Buy It:

You can purchase Play Smart activity books from their online store.

* Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

NEW Toddler Books from @SilverDolphin Books #Giveaway

A product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.

We LOVE books in our house so when I saw that Silver Dolphin Books has released several new interactive titles for toddlers, I couldn't wait to read them with my children!

My youngest son especially LOVES anything TRUCKS so when I saw the new Push-Pull-Turn books including Dump Truck Gets to Work!, Fire Truck to the Rescue!, and Up in the Air! ($15.99; Ages 4 and up), I knew he would LOVE THEM!

These books introduce young children to a construction site, emergency vehicles, and flying machines in each interactive, oversized book. Each title features a lively story with flaps to open and tabs to pull to engage busy kids on the go! Lift the loader’s bucket, pull the fire truck’s ladder, and make the stunt plane do loop-de-loops, all while learning the basic parts and functions of each vehicle. Includes interactive flaps, wheels, and tabs.

Another fun one for toddlers is Up, Up, Up in the Tree!

Join Squirrel as he climbs higher and higher up a tree in his quest for one big surprise in Up, Up, Up in the Tree ($9.99; Ages 3 and up)! With flaps to lift and peek-through holes, there’s lots to spot, count, and discover along the way in this beautifully illustrated and fun storybook. Includes flaps to lift and peek-through holes for extra fun and learning.

And finally, we are also loving Trace Race: Things That Go!

Follow the trail for an exciting adventure with a rocket ship, a train, a boat, and more things that go in Trace Race: Things That Go ($9.99; Ages 3 and up)! This storybook includes unique cutout paths for toddlers to follow with their fingers as they encounter vehicles in fun settings. With adorable illustrations and rhyming text, this on-the-go book is perfect for interactive story time.
Includes a die-cut path for finger tracing!

I am always on the search for books that keep my toddler learning and entertained! These new books from Silver Dolphin are definitely our new favorites!

Buy It:

You can purchase these books from the Silver Dolphin website.

Win It:

Silver Dolphin is generously offering (1) Trace Race and Up Up Up in the Tree books to a lucky winner!

Enter here for a chance to win:

(1) TWO New Silver Dolphin Toddler Books: 
Trace Race: Things that Go
AND
Up Up Up in the Tree

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Thank you to Silver Dolphin for their product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Make the World Come Alive & Encourage a Love of Reading with Usborne Books

A product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.

As a preschool teacher and mother, I am a HUGE advocate for reading from infancy (even in the womb!) to adulthood! I personally love to read and I love watching the world unfold in front of my children and students as they read and listen to books!

I personally love any company that offers great books for all ages that not only entertain but teach children about the world and how things work! That is why I love Usborne and their amazing selection of books! With these books, they really cultivate a love of reading in children and for that I love spreading the word about them!

Check out some of my family's new favorite books from Usborne:

Big Book of Stars & Planets

Children can explore the wonders of space in this incredible picture book with giant fold-out pages full of fascinating facts to satisfy the curiosity of every young space enthusiast. From the Sun and the planets in our Solar System to massive stars and vast galaxies and lots, lots more, there’s a whole universe to discover.

I love the full fold-out pages in this book! It really makes the pictures come alive and my children loved reading this one!

Weather - IR

What makes the wind blow? How can rain sometimes be red? Why are tornadoes like vacuum cleaners? You’ll find out the answers and lots more about weird and wonderful weather in this fascinating book.

This book is perfect for answering all the weather questions that children have! I also love using this book as a teacher when we cover weather in our school year! So much great info in this book!

Above and Below

From the rain forest to the ocean and the macro to the micro, turn the split pages to understand more about the fascinating relationships occurring in each of the world’s ecosystems above and below the surface.

I love how this book peels back the layers of the world to reveal what is above and below! My children LOVED learning about what is under the sea, in the sky and so much more!

If you are looking for quality, educational books for the whole family, make sure to check out Usborne's wide array of books!

Buy It:

You can purchase all these Usborne books and SO MANY MORE from theusbornebookgarden.com

*  Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

New @NGKidsBks Books Make Great Gifts! #Giveaway

A product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.

Books make the best gifts -- a thoughtfully selected book will hold a child's interest long after the new toys have been tossed aside, and books are also very budget-friendly.

This holiday season, National Geographic Kids Books is featuring SIX new titles that are perfect for gift giving. They are big, bold and beautiful hardcovers; cater to book enthusiasts and reluctant readers alike; and are fun, inspiring AND educational (but don't tell your kids that last part!).

Check out more info about each book below:

How Things Work 

(ages 7-10, $19.99) 

Discover the secrets and science behind bounce houses, hovercraft, robotics and everything in between in this book that provides both the quick answers AND complete explanations for all things high tech, low tech and no tech (how DOES glue work???). Detailed diagrams, revealing photos, hands-on activities and and fascinating facts all help to demystify many common items -- like how a microwave works, how an eraser makes pencil marks disappear and how an iPad or tablet can do so much -- and also delves into the more futuristic -- but very real -- inventions like bionics, invisible cloaks and tractor beams. "Tales from the Lab" and profiles of talented engineers, inventors and scientists provide plenty of inspiration. How Things Work is perfect for the kid who thinks "just because" isn't a REAL answer. Several spreads from How Things Work can be found by clicking here.

Ultimate Oceanpedia 

(ages 7-10, $24.99)

Perfect for the ocean-obsessed, this book is the most complete ocean reference ever! Ultimate Oceanpedia is overflowing with amazing facts, photos, art and diagrams that take the reader on a journey through the ocean. Whales, dolphins, porpoises, turtles, sharks, fish, crustaceans, sponges -- from the weird to the wonderful -- they are all featured in breathtaking photographs with easy to read captions. Wild weather, underwater exploration and tips and pointers on how to help keep our oceans thriving round out this thick, keepsake volume.

Tales from the Arabian Nights: Stories of Adventure, Magic, Love and Betrayal by Donna Jo Napoli 

(ages 8-12, $24.99) 

 "A brilliant tapestry woven not of yarn but of stories, both fresh and faithful to its historical routes" -- starred review, Kirkus

Do you have a child who loves magical stories about far away places? Classic stories and dazzling illustrations of princesses, kings, sailors and genies come to life in a stunning retelling of the Arabian folk tales from One Thousand and One Nights and other collections, including those of Alladin, Sinbad the Sailor, and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. In this beautiful, gift-worthy book, beloved author Donna Jo Napoli not only brings timeless tales of royalty, adventure and love to life but also includes sidebars that connect the stories to history, culture and geography. A perfect story time selection for bedtime or anytime.

The Book of Heroines and The Book of Heroes 

(ages 8-12, $14.99) 

All kids are heroes in waiting and these two titles are sure to inspire. In The Book of Heroines it's all about Girl Power! Looking for a leading lady? How about more than 100 of them? True stories of superstars, war heroes, world leaders, ladies in lab coats ad everyday people who all have two things in common -- they were girls and they changed the world. From Michelle Obama, Jane Goodall and Wonder Woman to Susan B. Anthony, Gloria Steinem and Katie Ledecky, The Book of Heroines not only highlights how girls are just as tough as boys, but also challenges the reader to be a heroine herself and provides tips on how to unleash her inner heroine. Sample pages of Heroines can be found here. The Book of Heroes highlights 100 guys who had the boldness, bravery and brains to meet the challenges of their day. Featuring a very diverse array of amazing minds, heroes from history, sports stars and even action heroes -- like Abraham Lincoln, Mark Zuckerberg, Stephen Hawking and Steve Irwin -- boys will be sure to find more than just a few role models in the pages of this book and also perhaps inspire them that they, too, are capable of extraordinary things.

5,000 Awesome Facts (About Everything!) 3 

(ages 8-12, $19.99) 

Did you know that one-third of the earth is a desert, that beets are sometimes used to give red velvet cake its color or that there are more caribou than people in Alaska? Well, that's only the beginning......5,000 Awesome Facts (About Everything!) 3 features gross facts about toilets and edible insects, gravity defying facts about things that fly, awesome new dino-discoveries and even facts about newborn octopi and how many oranges it takes to make one glass of o.j. -- to name just a few! This book is the ultimate boredom buster and is perfect for curious kids who love to learn about the weird, wild and wacky!

On behalf of National Geographic Kids Books I'm so pleased to offer your site a Holiday Gift Pack Giveaway of the six books listed above (ARV $120.00). US only please and we'd be pleased to ship the gift pack directly to your winner.
It would be terrific if your readers could earn additional entries the following ways:
* Follow National Geographic Kids Books on twitter - @NGKidsBks
* Friend National Geographic Kids on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/NationalGeographicKid

Win It:

National Geographic Kids Books is generously offering (1) Holiday Gift Pack Giveaway of the six books listed above (ARV $120.00) to a lucky winner!

Enter here for a chance to win:

(1) National Geographic Kids Holiday Gift Pack including:

• The Book Of Heroines
• The Book of Heroes
• 5,000 Awesome Facts (About Everything!) 3 
• Tales from the Arabian Nights: Stories of Adventure, Magic, Love and Betrayal 
• Ultimate Oceanpedia 
• How Things Work

(worth $120!!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Thank you to National Geographic Kids for their product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

New Interactive Sticker & Model Kit Books: Things That Go!

A product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.

My son is a HUGE fan of construction trucks and trucks of all kinds! As a 2 year old, he can name every truck he sees and he plays with them all day every day! It is so fun to watch him with this passion of his!

So when I saw that Silver Dolphin Books introduced a new line of interactive sticker and model kits by Chris Oxlade that are perfect for kids who are fascinated by things that go, I was so excited! These are so fun and are perfect for my son that loves anything that moves!

Check out two of his favorite new books and activity kits:

I Love Construction Vehicles

Dig deep and start building as you learn about the mighty vehicles used at a construction site in I Love Construction Vehicles. This complete activity kit allows kids to read, play, and explore the world of working vehicles, including diggers, dumpers, bulldozers, and enormous tunneling machines. Full-color photos throughout the book present these hardworking vehicles in full detail, and the included poster and reusable stickers complete the kit. Once kids have pored over the pages of the book, they can build their own construction site utilizing the shaped box and cardstock pieces, and put the model dump truck to work!

Includes:
*32-page fact book
*Model dump truck
*52 reusable stickers
*23 x 16-inch poster
*47 model pieces to build a construction site

Purchase for $16.88 from Amazon.com

I Love Rescue Vehicles

Turn on the flashing lights and siren as you learn about the powerful vehicles that respond to emergencies in I Love Rescue Vehicles. This complete activity kit allows kids to read, play, and explore the world of modern rescue vehicles, including fire trucks, ambulances, helicopters, and rescue boats. Full-color photos throughout the book present these mighty machines in full detail, and the included fire truck poster and reusable stickers complete the kit. Once kids have pored over the pages of the book, they can build their own fire station utilizing the shaped box and cardstock pieces, and then wheel out the model fire truck to save the day!

Includes:
*32-page fact book
*Model fire truck
*52 reusable stickers
*23 x 16-inch poster
*26 model pieces to build a fire station

Purchase for $13.86 from Amazon.com

* Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

"Dive Into Summer" with @NGKidsBks & #Giveaway

A product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.

Releasing just in time for summer trips to the aquarium, the beach and, of course, Disney Pixar's Finding Dory, Nat Geo Kids Books is debuting two titles that encourages kids to "dive in" and learn all about the REAL characters from the hotly anticipated movie.

Check them out below and make sure to enter below for your own chance to win a set!

Ocean Animals: Who's Who in the Deep Blue ($8.89, ages 8-12): is an oversized book and it needs to be! Featuring huge, stunning underwater photographs this book covers it all -- from life in coral reefs to sharks and rays, to bizarre creatures of the deep and even sea birds -- and all the favorites from Finding Dory including, sea lions, octopus, beluga whales, whale sharks and of course clown fish and Dory herself -- blue tangs!

Ocean Animals Sticker Activity Book (ages 4-8, $5.19) has over 1,000 cool stickers of the most popular, adorable, ferocious and weird ocean animals, like dolphins, coral, fish, sea turtles, seals and more. Also included are skill-building puzzles and mazes, spelling and pattern games, drawing, photos, facts, and other activities that will keep kids you entertained (and learning) for hours on end. Perfect for road trips and plane rides!

And every child needs a little friend to snuggle with while reading books and a little stuffed Dory is the perfect reading companion!

Win It:

National Geographic Kids is generously offering (1)  "Dive Into Summer" Giveaway Pack consisting of one copy of Ocean Animals: Who's Who in the Deep Blue, one copy of Ocean Animals Sticker Activity Book and a Dory plushie (ARV $30)! to a lucky winner!

Enter here for a chance to win:

(1) "Dive into Summer" Giveaway Prize Pack including

• Ocean Animals: Who's Who in the Deep Blue,
• Ocean Animals Sticker Activity Book 
• Dory plushie

(Worth $30!!!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Make the Resolution to Read To Your Children More This Year!

Books were given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.

I love books! I especially love children's books and I love reading them to my children! It is my most favorite part of the day - when we all curl up with a funny, sweet, loving, or silly book at the end of the day!

My children and I have been enjoying these new books from Random House Books! Check them out below - they are awesome!

SHHH! THIS BOOK IS SLEEPING 

(Random House Books for Young Readers; On Sale 1/12/16)

by Cedric Ramadier; Illustrated by Vincent Bourgeau

This book is an original interactive board book that begs to be cuddled and kissed goodnight!

Hold this book gently because it’s very sleepy! A mouse inside the pages invites you to read the book a bedtime story, tuck it in with a cozy blanket, and give it a hug and a kiss. Oh, and don’t forget to ask whether it brushed its teeth and went pee-pee! Then turn off the light. There. Shhh! This book is sleeping! Fans of Press Here and The Monster at the End of This Book will enjoy coaxing the very book they’re holding to go to sleep.

This one is my daughter's favorite! She has heard it so many times that she loves to read it to me now before bed!!!

NOAH’S ARK 

(Random House Books for Young Readers; On Sale 1/12/16) 

by Michelle Knudsen; Illustrated by Christopher Santoro

The tale of Noah’s ark, one of the most enduring stories of all time, is now available as a board book full of 30 fun flaps. Children will love flipping the pages, lifting the flaps, and finding their very favorite animals. From zebras and rabbits to elephants and dogs, this version of the treasured tale has something for everyone and is a perfect addition to any family’s library.

My little guy loves to find the flaps as I read the book and open them! This book has quickly become his favorite!

I’M A MONSTER TRUCK 

(Random House Books for Young Readers; On Sale 1/12/16) 

by Dennis Shealy; illustrated by Bob Staake

This book is a high-octane board book for truck fans to start their engines and ride along with Mudenstein and his mammoth machine friends for all their crashing, smashing fun!

Mudenstein is a good ol' boy monster truck who loves life in the arena! See his tall tires grab the dirt as he crushes cars and takes on a fire-breathing crane. Meet his buddy Billy Wrecks and the other demolition derby boys! Lively text and high-octane artwork make this a perfect book for preschoolers who love all things vehicular.

LOVE YOU, HUG YOU, READ TO YOU 

(Random House Books for Young Readers; On Sale 12/22/15) 

by Tish Rabe; Illustrated by Frank Endersby 

This is a reassuring board book conveying unconditional love and the joy of reading together. ALSO AVAILABLE IN A SPANISH LANGUAGE EDITION, ¡TE AMO, TE ABRAZO, LEO CONTIGO!

“There are three things I’ll always do . . . love you, hug you, read to you!” The simple promise of togetherness offered in this bilingual (Spanish and English) board book is enhanced by interactive prompts throughout, encouraging parents to engage with their child while reading. Studies show that asking questions, like the ones in this book, helps children learn to read faster than if they just listen to a story. Love and literacy are gifts we can give to our children every day!

This book is my favorite to read to all my children so they never forget I love them, love to hug them and also love to read to them!!!

Make time for story time with your children this year and get started with these great books!

*Disclosure - These books were given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Children's Book Review: God Made All of Me

A book was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.

About the book:

"God made every part of you!"

It's easy to convey the message to children that their bodies---or particular parts of their bodies---are shameful. This misconception fuels confusion, embarrassment, and secrecy, and often prevents children from recognizing or reporting sexual abuse.

God Made All of Me is a simply-told, beautifully-illustrated story to help families talk about these sensitive issues with two- to eight-year-old children. Because the private parts of our bodies are private, the home is the ideal environment where a child should learn about his or her body and how it should be treated by others.

God Made All of Me starts from the fundamental truth that God created everything and applies that truth---the doctrine of creation---to kids and their bodies. It equips parents to talk with both boys and girls about their bodies and to help them understand the difference between the appropriate and inappropriate touch of others. God Made All of Me allows families to build a first line of defense against sexual abuse in the safety of their own homes.

God Made All of Me is the first children's book written by Rid of My Disgrace authors Justin and Lindsey Holcomb. Parents of young children themselves, the Holcombs regularly counsel victims of sexual abuse and are profoundly aware of the dangers kids face. Their simple and relatable story, designed to help children protect their bodies, will be an important resource for every family with young children.

About the authors:

Justin Holcomb, PhD, is an Episcopal priest and professor of theology and Christian thought at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Reformed Theological Seminary. He is the author of On the Grace of God, Know the Heretics, and Know the Creeds and Councils, as well as the coauthor of Is It My Fault? and Rid of My Disgrace. He also serves on the boards for REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade) and GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in Christian Environments).

Lindsey Holcomb, MPH, counsels victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and is the cofounder of REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade). Lindsey has provided crisis intervention to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and conducted a variety of training seminars to service providers. She is also the coauthor of Is It My Fault? and Rid of My Disgrace.

My Opinion

It's a sad and scary world we live in these days, especially for our kids. It scares me every day to be a parent and wondering what they may face in their lifetime.

One of my deepest fears is sexual harrassment, assault or abuse on one of my children. Besides praying non-stop for them, there is one big way I can help them. I can teach them about their body, I can teach them about bad touching and good touching and I can teach them that God made their body and about which ones are to stay private.

It can be a very sensitive and hard topic to talk about which is why I was really glad to have God Made All of Me to help guide me to talk to my children about this subject. Assault can happen with really young ones so I wanted to make sure I talked about it starting at a young age.

My children really enjoyed the book and we ended up having a really good discussion and talk about private parts, inappropriate touching, good and bad touches and so much more. With this book, I wasn't dreading this talk with them. It helped me answer their questions and also bring up really good points my husband and I never really thought of before as parents.

We really enjoyed reading and sharing this book with our children and I feel better knowing I have talked about this sensitive subject with my kids. I also feel better knowing they would know what is appropriate and inappropriate touches with others and how to protect their bodies in a bad situation!

If you are looking to bring up the sexual abuse and private body parts subject but don't know how or want a Christian perspective, God Made All of Me is a great book for parents and children and it creates a great discussion with the whole family! I highly recommend!

Buy It:

You can purchase God Made All of Me for $13.27 from Amazon.com

* Disclosure - This book was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*