Category Archives: Age 3-5

Product Review: Little Tikes Butterfly Beach Sandbox and Wading Pool

Age 3-5, Age 5-7, New posts, Outdoor Toys, , , , , ,

Little Tikes Butterfly Beach SandboxIt’s imperative that moms relax and it’s nearly impossible for a mom to have alone time.   For me, sitting outside, even with the kids, is the next best thing to having alone time.  I am usually trying to relax when I’m sitting outside, so it’s important that the kids have something to do so they will leave me alone for a few minutes (right!?).
After much trial and error, I concluded that sand is just about the coolest outdoor toy ever.  So, now I have a sandbox on both porches.  On the front porch I have a shallow, wide plastic storage bin (the kind you put under a bed to store stuff in) filled with sand while the back porch, the one I sit on more often, has the more aesthetically pleasing Little Tikes Butterfly Beach Sandbox and Wading Pool.

The Little Tikes Butterfly Beach Sandbox and Wading Pool entertains both of my kids, 9 and 3,.. at the same time! Imagine that!
The butterfly’s wings unfold with one wing becoming the pool and the other wing is the sandbox.   It sounds like magic, but it’s not.  The sunshade pops into the butterfly’s back and provides great protection from the sun.  I absolutely LOVE having the sunshade.  When Madelyn is playing in the front porch sandbox (the make-shift storage bin sandbox) I have to move it as the sun shines down on the porch which is a pain because sand isn’t light!  When the kids are done playing in the Butterfly Beach Sandbox and Wading Pool, the emptied pool side folds over the sand side doubling as a secure lid. The Little Tikes Butterfly Beach Sandbox and Wading Pool is great for kids ages 2 and up and holds enough water and sand to occupy my 9 year old for a while.

The Little Tikes Butterfly Beach Sandbox and Wading Pool is sold at Amazon.com for about $45.

GIVEAWAY!
1 lucky subscriber will win a Little Tikes Butterfly Beach Sandbox and Wading Pool!  Stay tuned and subscribe to learn how to enter starting April 1st.

Review: My Name Is Chicken Joe (Book/CD Set)

Age 3-5, Age 5-7, Age 7-10, Books, New posts, , , ,

Madelyn turned 3 this weekend and her favorite gifts were books.  She loves books.  One of her favorite books right now is My Name is Chicken Joe.   We read it every night.  The story is about a cat named Chicken Joe and other animals whose names don’t quite fit.  Featuring whimsical illustrations and an easy to remember ‘chorus’, it’s nearly impossible for me to not to start singing the story.

My Name is Chicken Joe is a book/cd set and is a fun book for beginning readers and equally as fun for toddlers being read to.  Both of my kids love the 11-song CD which I consider to be a mashup of folk, rock, and country style music. This CD will be one that we listen to on our road trips this summer.  Trout Fishing in
America has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, Parents Choice Gold, American Library Awards, and others.  Trout Fishing in America have earned widespread critical praise from USA Today, Billboard and The Los Angeles Times.

You can buy the My Name is Chicken Joe book/cd set on the Trout Fishing in America website here.

Enjoy!

Leslie Patricelli – super cute books

Age 1-3, Age 3-5, Books, , ,

Leslie has such a fun personal story. She may not think so, she probably thinks she has a normal life.. don't we all?  The first line of her Bio on her web site is "I  live in the mountain town of Ketchum, Idaho".  There's something about me saying I live in Marietta, GA that doesn't sound quite as exciting as 'the mountain town of Ketchum, Idaho'.   She goes on to tell readers that her favorite food is Spaghetti and that she's had several jobs including being a ski instructor, a nanny, and an animator.  You can tell from her Bio that she is fun, silly, and loves to write for kids.

Happy-sad-book

Leslie's books are fun and simple making them a top pick for Madelyn.  She wants to read Leslie's books over and over again. What I love about her books is that they leave room for imagination.  Like when Madelyn and I read "Higher! Higher!", there aren't many words on each page which makes it fun for Madelyn and I to make up our own mini-stories for each page.  For example, in Higher! Higher!, the little girl swings in the clouds.  Madelyn and I talk about who is on the airplane in the illustration, what they're doing and other silly stuff.  We have a lot of fun with Leslie's books.

You can see Leslie Patricelli's collection of books on her website and there are fun games to play and coloring sheets on her site too.  Enjoy!

 

Minky Princess Blanket and Car Seat Cover from Dressy Dribbles

Age 1-3, Age 3-5, Bedding - baby & kids, Bedtime, , , , , , , , ,

Madelyn is a blankie lover.  She always has a blanket with her.  There are a few exceptions I suppose, but she's attached.   When I took Madelyn's minky Princess Blanket out of the package, the first thing she did was rub it on her face.  That's become a regular thing now.. when we're reading she holds the minky blanket on her face.  It's
adorable.  At night when
she's going to sleep she rubs the satin edges between her fingers.  Dressy Dribbles blankets and car seat covers are machine washable and available in several designs and colors.

Dressy Dribbles showed me that I don't have to settle for the standard gray cover that came with Madelyn's Britax toddler car seat.  Ugh.. how boring.  Now, Madelyn has the most beautiful car seat cover from Dressy Dribbles. 

Dressy Dribbles car seat cover features:Dressy-dribbles-madelyn

  • Machine washable
  • Made from the softest minky, denim, cotton and satin fabrics
  • Snap on and off, no strap threading required!
  • Fit most standard convertible car seats up to 65 pounds.
  • Infant and Toddler covers available
  • 7 designs
  • Camo, minky, and denim fabrics
  • Have matching blankets (sold separately or as a gift set)
  • What more can you ask for?

Click the image to the right to enlarge it and see the blanket up close.

Dressy Dribbles

Pilloroo – a pillow for kids with a surprise inside!

Age 3-5, Bedtime, Toys, , ,

Pillaroo The Pilloroo is a gift givers (and recipients) dream! 
Pilloroo is a 14" pillow with a zippered pocket that opens to reveal a coordinating surprise.

Madelyn got a Pilloroo for Christmas and now has 3 comfort blankets and a Pilloroo.  I have to stop the growth of her comfort clan soon or it's going to get out of control!

Perfect for long car rides, the Pilloroo is an all-in-one comfort item, and toy.. and in our case, a snack carrier too!  When we are going to scouts or going to be in the car for a while, I pack a snack bag and stick it in the Pilloroo pouch for Madelyn to find.  I love the surprised look on her face when there's something new or different in the Pilloroo pocket.  Now, if I would find a million dollars in there, I would be thrilled.

Each pillow comes with a stuffed animal that lives in the pillow’s
secret pouch.  Pilloroo pillows make great gifts and with about 20 designs to choose from, you'll find one for every child you love.