• product giveaway Archive

    It wouldn’t be summer for my family without having a lemonade stand. My 9-year-old prides herself on being an entrepreneur. Or maybe it’s just  that she likes being showered with attention from all our kindhearted neighbors. Whatever the motive, this past weekend was sunny and hot–an ideal setting for a setting up shop. With her 5-year-old sister on hand as a helper, my daughter laid out the provisions and in no time at all, was ready for business. And what an operation it was! Not only did they rake in some staggering profits (in the upwards of $15!), but the addition of some lemon Oreo cookies complemented the refreshing beverage of choice. They were so excited by their job well-done, they are already thinking about [&hellip

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    When my younger daughter moved from her high chair to a booster seat, it was a memorable moment. Not only could she now truly join us at the dinner table, but having her in our company literally put her at our same level–and judging from the look on her little face, it meant the world and more. If the transition from baby to big kid chair is looming in your child’s near future, consider your options carefully. While some seats claim to make the move a smooth one, not all offer the extra comfort and security your toddler still needs. We’ve got our eye (and our bum) on the latest booster seat to hit the market. Safety 1st’s Sit! Booster gives a much-needed lift to [&hellip

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    My 13-year-old niece loves to bake, and I like to think that over the years, we’ve helped cultivate her passion. When she was in elementary school, we gave her a recipe box filled with kid-friendly dishes. And this past Christmas, she was tasked with the honor of making individual cakes for dessert. If you know a tween who knows her way around the kitchen, encourage her to dust off her apron and roll up her sleeves. Sweetyhigh.com, a new social networking site for young girls, has offered The Talking Walnut a special Valentine’s Day giveaway. One lucky winner will be awarded a special baking kit that contains the following: 2 Heart Shaped Plates 1 Petite Pie Mold with Heart-shaped cut-out 1 Set of Valentine’s themed [&hellip

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    En route to the supermarket earlier today, I came face to face with a life-sized Hallmark Keepsake Ornament. It was glaring at me through the window of a card store, reminding me that Christmas isn’t that far off. Ah, retail…I can’t even buy my Halloween candy before you start pumping me up for Santa and his elves. With this in mind, we bring you the latest incarnation of Shrinky Dinks: a 3D Christmas set of ornaments. If you grew up with this name in your house, you have already experienced the magic behind popping your creations into Mom’s oven and watching your creations miniaturize themselves before your very eyes. If you didn’t have the luxury of playing with Shrinky Dinks (and that would be me), [&hellip

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    TGIF! In honor of the upcoming weekend, we’re helping host a special promotion with toy maker Educational Insights. The company is giving away a gift card valued at $50 good towards the purchase of any Educational Insights products. All you need to do is “Like” Educational Insights on Facebook between now and Sunday, October 16 at 12 a.m. PST, and then contact The Talking Walnut. We’ll select one lucky person randomly. Good luck! Wild Walnut Special: Start your holiday shopping now by entering to win a $50 gift card from Educational Insights. Congratulations to Olivia L.! Tags: Educational Insights, product giveaway, toys giveaway

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    It’s the age-old question for moms across the world–and one that never seems to produce a satisfactory response unless it’s “pizza,” “Chinese” or some form of take-out. Some nights, it takes all the strength you can muster just to open up a can of soup or microwave a frozen dinner. But when a sandwich just won’t cut the mustard in your house (as is the case in mine!), it’s time to scour the cupboard and rummage up whatever staple can be made into a meal. That’s when childhood comfort foods like Chef Boyardee come in handy. Believe it or not, a can of this stuff is a starter ingredient for an entirely new bunch of dinnertime recipes like Taco-roni, Ravioli Lasagna (shown here) and Cheeseburger-roni. [&hellip

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    My 7-year-old is zipping through a bunch of books this summer with a mission in mind: She’s trying to earn enough minutes so she can take advantage of our local library’s summer reading club contest. If she logs enough time, she’ll score tickets to a juggling show. To this 7-year-old, there’s nothing as thrilling as live entertainment…unless, of course, it’s a new Wii game. My hope is that once the show has come and gone, she’ll still be just as excited to keep reading, especially when we head out on vacation. To help keep kids on the go psyched about books, PBS Kids and JetBlue are running a Soar With Reading program that provides traveling families with plenty of incentives for hitting the books. Just [&hellip

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    Calling all cubists: are you ready to do the Rubik’s Cube? If you were a kid in the 80s, you probably spent quite a bit of your time desperately trying to solve this puzzle. (My own brother eventually resorted to taking it apart with a screwdriver and put it back to together, colored piece by piece!) Well, if you can believe it, it’s been 30 years since the famous cube came on the scene and today, it’s being touted for its ability to engage kids in math and science. Schools across the country are honoring its anniversary via the You CAN Do The Rubik’s Cube program, which awards students for successfully completing cube-related activities. But you don’t need to wait for September to try it [&hellip

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