With temps steadily climbing into the 80s this week and school due to let out this Friday, our thoughts are turning to ice pops, the beach and all things summer. Because we know firsthand how much the kids need to get outside and play, we need the perfect excuse to keep them there. Enter the NERF Super Soaker Arctic Shock Water Blaster. This is so not your average water gun. Deep within its recesses of this mega-sized toy is a removable wide-mouth clip that can hold up to 25 ounces of H2O–along with plenty of ice cubes–for primo ammo. One blast from this super-cool soaker, and your most unsuspecting buddy will never know what hit him. Then again, if this summer winds up being another
The Playful Walnut Archive
My 5-year-old had her kindergarten screening yesterday, and walked out with the biggest smile on her face. “I can’t wait to learn!,” she told me later. It’s moments like these that make you want to stop time, and bottle that infectious enthusiasm. To help my daughter get off to great start, even before September comes, we’ve been playing lots of simple learning games–using magnetic letters to spell out fun words, talking about the bugs and birds who’ve been making a home in our backyard–and I’m watching how they fuel her imagination. Just as important as these creative teaching moments are the opportunities to reinforce what she already knows and keep it fun. Just in time for back-to-school comes Priddy Books’ Schoolies, a line of educational
With just about two weeks until school lets out, I am faced with the inevitable truth that my kids will soon be home with me, and I will be tasked with what I like to call a “Herculean feat”: keeping them entertained, while not killing each other. Sure, they’ll be doing some camp time here and there, but with plenty of down time on the calendar, it’s a ripe opportunity for them to do something that’s productive and that doesn’t have to follow a set schedule. Ah, the beauty of unstructured time!…What is that, anyway? After hearing so much about ‘brain drain’ and ‘summer slide,’ I figure it’s my job as a parent to keep them intellectually challenged and mentally engaged even when they’re not
If my 3rd grader attaches another object to her backpack, I swear she’s going to keel over. She makes a personal statement while bringing her belongings to school, simply by switching out what’s dangling off the zippers: a flipflop keychain, a translucent dolphin, a Beanie Boo…you name it. Attachable collectibles is definitely trending with tweens, and that’s why I knew when I got my hands on the Radz Gone Wild line, it would be a big hit. These aren’t your everyday collectibles, mind you; Radz offer a sweet surprise, doubling as a candy dispenser that comes with a Radz Plus code for access to free gaming apps. Making up the new line are four animal friends, each with a distinct persona: Scratch the Tiger, Bandit
Today, my almost 5-year-old had kindergarten orientation, and couldn’t have been more excited (or me for her). After visiting a kindergarten classroom, meeting the principal and taking a spin around the school on a bus, she would have happily begun school today! Luckily I have a few months to prepare myself (read: stock up on Kleenex) and so does she. Before we leave the fun world of preschool, it doesn’t hurt to keep her already-active brain in tip-top shape. How apropos that we received a new board game to help get ready for September. HABA’s Loco Lingo Kindergarten is a visually-driven game that tests memory, storytelling and other basic learning skills that make a solid foundation for that first year of school. Picture cards make
My car is in desperate need of a wash. After too many months of wet weather, muddy feet and the like, this mom taxi has taken quite a beating. Of course, the line at our local car wash has been five miles long lately. If only my imagination could transport to the pages of the latest picture book to cross my desk. Down at the Dino Wash Deluxe is the place to be, especially if you happen to live with anyone who knows his T-Tex from a triceratops. It’s also the center of a make-believe business where these prehistoric creatures come to have their regular scrub-down (where else can these guys fit when a bath tub is out of the question?). If I ever thought
Is it Earth Day already? This coming Monday marks the day we pay homage to our dear planet, one that seems to be under a great deal of stress these days. (I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember more extreme weather than what we’ve been experiencing this past year.) Since Mother Nature has been wrecking havoc on us lately, it’s definitely time for a superhero to help us out, and the Sprout television network has just the guy. Tree Fu Tom, to the rescue! With the help of a magic belt, this pint-sized boy turns himself into a flying hero with special powers who travels to a make-believe kingdom inside a tree in his backyard (how’s that for using your imagination?) Once there,
Still trying to come to the grips with yesterday’s tragedy in Boston, I had a hard time getting myself in writing mode this morning. But after dropping my daughter off at preschool and seeing all those happy, little faces, I found the motivation I was looking for. If reviewing kids’ products and working in the children’s industry isn’t a sign of hope and rejuvenation, I don’t know what is. It was precisely this morning that my 4-year-old and I discovered the just-released CD from Miss Nina. A follow-up to Singing & Dancing Together, Sha Doo Be Doop is a spirited release of toe-tapping tunes that can’t help give you a little bit of a lift. Miss Nina’s music teacher background is evident throughout this collection
My husband is a good dad, even if he doesn’t always think so. A time-pressed, hard-working father (like so many dads we know), he struggles with the fact that he can’t see his girls as much as he’d like to. And when he is home, he’s torn by dividing his time between left-over work, home improvement projects and time with his daughters (oh yeah, and don’t forget about me). He’s great at playing board games and reading with our 8-year-old, but when I see his eyes start to glaze over after the umpteenth round of Richard Scarry’s Busytown, I feel for him. Well, it may not be Father’s Day just yet, but I know my better half might appreciate something new and different he can
My daughter’s preschool sent home summer camp registration this week, and so I am reminded that bathing suit season is upon us yet again. (Lucky for me, I can work out my own swimwear neuroses by happily buying for two young girls.) If your kids are still young enough to enjoy their favorite characters on their clothing, then let their summer wardrobe include two Disney friends that can accompany them to the beach, lake or pool. The Ariel Swim Collection for Girls includes a wet-and-wonderful swimsuit, cover-up, flip flops, beach towel, sunglasses and swim bag. We especially love the endless waves of ruffles that adorn the swimsuit’s neckline. And for the boys comes the Jake and the Never Land Pirates Swim Collection, a swash-buckling array