• Monthly Archive:: March 2013

    Musicians come and go, especially in the temperamental kid biz, but when a band has been around the block, we can effortlessly turn on their tunes and know we won’t be disappointed. One such kid rock band with staying power is Milkshake and the band’s latest concoction, Got a Minute?, is worth more than a listen. Like most seasoned musicians, Milkshake’s sound has matured over the years, but this release reflects a well-rounded sound to suit a myriad of different tastes. From the jammin’ “We Just Wanna Have Fun,” to the more mellow “Starry, Starry Night,” the band exudes a self- assurance that allows them to bounce back and forth between pop rock, to country, without missing a beat. With more than 30 tracks on [&hellip

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    Day Two of spring break and the sun has finally reared its head (what kind of spring is this, anyway?). But with a soggy backyard to contend with, playing outdoors had to be postponed. And after my couch cushions found their way onto the floor one too many times for my liking, we decided to break out a new board game. Lucky for me (and my nerves), it was a real crowd-pleaser–and with an 8-year-old and a 4-year-old, that’s no small feat. Peaceable Kingdom’s Stack Up! is aimed at preschool-level game play, but can easily be stepped up a notch for older kids (read: good for mixed-age groups). The premise is simple: build a tower of 12 colorful blocks by landing on the corresponding color [&hellip

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    Yesterday, my 8-year-old pulled out her Easy Bake Oven and decided to whip up a batch of mini marshmallow treats taken from a recipe she had downloaded from her Nintendo DS (this is one multitasking kid). While I permit her to use her Easy Bake on her own, her little sister doesn’t have it so “easy.” The 4-year-old isn’t ready yet to handle independent baking, outside of some measuring and pouring of ingredients (even that’s done under Mom’s watchful eye). But she does enjoy making pretend food and playing in her make-believe kitchen, so who am I to discourage her budding culinary skills? And because my preschooler loves crafts just as much as the next kid (if not more), we were psyched to combine two [&hellip

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    Ever imagine what you might look like if you were animated? What if you could sing, too? Well, if you happened to be Laurie Berkner, you’d soon get your chance. Beginning this Monday, March 25, the well-known children’s indie musician will celebrate her latest incarnation as the star of Sing It, Laurie!, her own very own animated TV show on the Sprout network. No stranger to performing for TV audiences, Laurie gained a strong following on Nick Jr. and can now add a new network to her growing fan base. In this new series, Laurie’s unmistakable voice will be adopted by a little girl who uses her music and songs to better understand the world around her. Episode themes will include dressing up, having a [&hellip

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    My kids have a serious case of cabin fever. After a lousy winter and a slow start to spring, they’ll take any partly sunny day above 40 degrees to play outside. Case in point: my 4-year-old blowing bubbles last week, while wearing her heavy coat, gloves and a hat. As I write this post, snow flurries are swirling around and there’s no foreseeable end to this extended winter. Well, even if the calendar and the weather can’t agree, we’re still thinking spring and keeping an eye out for outdoor toys  sure to herald signs of warmer weather ahead. Our latest find is the coolest sidewalk chalk of the season: RoseArt’s Surprise Inside Sidewalk Chalk. Think of it as the chalk that keeps on giving, long [&hellip

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    My girls adore Beanie Ballz (if you happen to live under a rock, they are a round version of the plush dolls that have been taking toy/gift stores by storm for the past decade). Their favorites are the pint-sized plush that double as key chains, and my older daughter alternates which ones she carries around on her backpack. So when I was at Toy Fair last month, I wasn’t surprised to see the Ty booth (makers of Beanie products) hopping with activity…but little did I know, there was another plush ball maker in town with an added twist. ShtankOut is a scented collectible toy that attaches to anywhere that might benefit from a little nosegay: kids’ lockers, backpacks, closets and gym bags. Each key chain [&hellip

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    What kid doesn’t doesn’t long to be big? When I was little, I envied my older sister who got to stay out late and wear Bonne Bell Lipsmackers (lips that smelled like 7-up…alright!). I remembered my dad telling me not to rush my life away, and thought he was a bit mad (today I can only look back and smile at my naivete and his sage advice). As my own daughters try to push the envelope–the older one begging for her own iPod and the younger one crying over the fact that I won’t let her wear one of those stick-on tattoos–I refuse their demands with my own version of “’cause I said so,” while I smile knowingly at their inherent need to spread their [&hellip

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    With Easter only two weeks away, we’ve been searching high and low for basket stuffers that aren’t so run-of-the-mill. Sure, we love our share of Peeps and chocolate eggs, but our resident chief rabbit is finding it more difficult over the years to please those discriminating bunnies. This year, we’ve stumbled upon an updated classic that we think will be a hit with boys and girls alike: Treat Street’s Funny Bunny, a wind-up mini plastic rabbit that “poops” out jelly beans (we kid you not). Yeah, we know most parents aren’t big on promoting bathroom humor, but one turn of this rabbit’s rear-end and you won’t be able to contain those giggles. The expression on that bunny’s face may just rival your kid’s–or your own. [&hellip

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    These days, it’s hard to find a kids’ product that can’t be personalized. From toothpaste dispensers to potty seats, your child can proudly claim her ownership on just about anything and everything. Some experts are chalking this up to a material-obsessed culture, with anyone and everyone wanting to flaunt their goods, while others think it’s a savvy way to help kids take pride in themselves (and would we go so far as to add take better care of their belongings and pick up after themselves? Yeah, let’s not push it.) No matter the reason behind the trend, we’re firm believers that it’s not only the little ones who need to cultivate a positive self-image, but the more impressionable tween crowd as well. I’m seeing it [&hellip

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    Whenever it was time to feed my baby daughters, I was never without my Boppy. The donut-shaped nursing support pillow that made a name for itself as a must-have baby shower gift, this product got quite a bit of mileage over the years. But because I did not take it along with me whenever I left the house (Lord knows how much other baby gear I had to lug around!), I always felt the substitutes lacked the same comfort that this mommy security-type blanket offered; couch pillows and folded-over comforters just didn’t do the trick. So when I heard about the mom-invented Comfy Cradle, I knew this mompreneur was onto something. Designed by an Ohio mother of two who realized there must be a better [&hellip

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