Category Archives: Ages 10-13

Solaroo UV Blocking Sun Clothing from SunFriendlyProducts.com

January 5, 2009Age 1-3, Age 3-5, Age 5-7, Age 7-10, Ages 10-13, Clothes - mom & dad, Safetysolaroo, sun protection, uv blockAlicia

I received two Solaroo UV blocking suits last summer and failed to write the review and now I can't find the photographs of the kids wearing the suits to post in this review. Anyway.. I am giving you the heads up now that Solaroo's UV blocking sun clothing is a must have this coming spring and summer.

Both of my kids loved their suits last summer. Sebastian felt cool in his surfer style blue shirt and Madelyn looked adorable in her pretty pink one piece suit.

My kids were outside a lot last spring and summer and Sebastian wore his Solaroo shirt when playing with his friends outside and helping me in the garden. I am paranoid about sunburn and UV damage and love knowing that the kids Solaroo UV blocking sun clothes protect them from UV rays and I never forget to cover the rest of their bodies with super spf sunscreen. It's not worth it to skip the sunscreen or UV blocking clothes if you have them! I just wish I had a Solaroo shirt and Extreme Performance Hat
for when I'm out in the yard or playing with the kids.

Solaroo UV blocking sun clothing is lightweight, dries quickly, and keep 98% of the UV rays out. Available in kids sizes 0 months to 8 years, womens sizes up to 18 and mens sizes up to XX-Large with varying prices.

Go to SunFriendlyProducts.com to see their huge selection of UV Blocking Sun Clothing and accessories for babies, kids, and adults.

Danika’s Totally Terrible Toss: The Legend of the Purple Flurp

November 18, 2008Age 7-10, Ages 10-13, Booksbook, girls club, secret keeper girl, tweenAlicia

This book is part of the Secret Keeper Girl book series. If you have a tween girl or know one, this is the perfect book to add to her collection. The Legend of the Purple Flurp is a book about a 12 year old girl, Danika who gets in trouble for accidentally tossing ‘purple flurp’ at the lunch lady. Consequently Danika gets into trouble which puts a major kink in her plans of winning the title of Miss Teeny Pop at Marion, Ohio’s Annual Popcorn Festival.
Although the incident is an unfortunate accident Danika is given detention and meets three girls who help her gain new insight into what life is about. Before accidentally throwing purple flurp (you have to read the book to learn what it is!) at a lunch lady Danika had the mindset that life was about what she had rather than who she is. You know… fancy clothes, a big house, nice cars, all that stuff.

Danika’s Totally Terrible Toss: The Legend of the Purple Flurp is full of humor, real life situations, and activities for moms and daughters to do together.
The book is addictive. I read it with my nine year old the first day I got it for review and he actually read it in bed that night! Don’t tell!! We made sure to read the book in such a way that it didn’t seem so girly and he wouldn’t feel like he was reading a girly book. I told him not to mind the pink cover.

The Secret Keeper Girl series of books opens a door for moms and daughters to communicate about situations that tween girls go through. There are currently three books in the Secret Keeper Girl series and are available individually or in bundles.

You will find Danika’s Totally Terrible Toss (Secret Keeper Girl) at Amazon.com for about $10.

20Q the little round gadget that knows what you’re thinking

April 10, 2008Age 7-10, Ages 10-13, Electronics, Fun stuff for parents, Gadgets, Games, Toys, TravelAlicia

20Q has been around for years and is now available in a smaller, smarter, pastel version. 20Q is an "artificial intelligence" game that tries to guess what you are thinking about by asking questions such as "is it alive", "does it make you feel good", and "is it hard".
Much to my amazement, 20Q figured out what we were thinking 8 times out of 10. How does it work, you ask? By process of elimination.

I thought of an elephant, a balloon, and a piece of grass. 20Q guessed the elephant and balloon between the 15-20th guess but the closest 20Q got to guessing a piece of grass was guessing that I was thinking of a leaf. That is still pretty good. I was impressed.

If 20Q doesn’t guess what you are thinking about (read your mind) by the 20th question, you win!
When 20Q asks the player a question, the player responds by pressing one of four buttons. Yes, no, sometimes, or don’t know. Based on your response 20Q asks the player another question.

20Q is a great game to take on vacation as it doesn’t blast annoying beeps and boings, nor does it take up much room being about the size of a child’s palm. Recommended for ages 8 and up, 20Q is now available in spring colors.

Icon_website2 Learn more about 20Q or buy here

Braun ThermoScan ExacTemp

March 18, 2008Age 0-1 year, Age 1-3, Age 3-5, Age 5-7, Age 7-10, Ages 10-13, Gadgets, SafetyAlicia

When Sebastian, now 8, was younger we used a traditional glass thermometer. After we broke two glass thermometers which posed a danger because of the broken glass and tiny beads of mercury on the floor, I purchased an ear thermometer. Ours is quite out-dated and when I recently received a Braun ThermoScan ExacTemp to review, I was very pleased with the features as compared to my 5 year old ear thermometer.

What makes it special: Braun’s ThermoScan ExacTemp thermometer is exceptional in that is features ExacTemp technology. To help avoid inaccurate temperatures the tip is warmed to a temperature close to that of a human body. The ThermoScan measures the infrared heat generated by the eardrum and surrounding tissues. The eardrum shares blood supply with the hypothalamus, the temperature control center in the brain, which means that changes in your child’s body temperature are reflected sooner in the ear than at other sites which is just one more reason to use an ear thermometer.

What’s included: The ThermoScan comes with protective tip covers and a protective case ensuring that the thermometer is secure when not in use. To save battery life, the ThermoScan thermometer automatically shuts off after 60 seconds. I am so tired of buying batteries..I love the auto-off feature!

More features: The LCD screen is easy to read and shows the battery level, the thermometer beeps when it is finished taking a temperature. When your child is sick and you need to check her temperature often, the memory feature comes in handy. You can store up to 8 temperatures and can access store temperatures easily. The ThermoScan is light and is designed in such a way that it is easy to hold and won’t slip out of your hand. This thermometer fits into a compact protective case that also stores the probe covers. I can’t tell you how many times I have had to buy a new pack of covers just because they got lost.. or Sebastian played with them. Being able to store the probe covers directly in the case is great!

Important note: There are at least two ThermoScan models so look closely at the details before buying as they have different features.

Icon_website2 Buy a ThermoScan at Amazon OR learn more at the Braun website

Whole grain baking mixes…your kids can make!

March 13, 2008Age 5-7, Age 7-10, Ages 10-13, Food and DrinkAlicia

We were recently given the opportunity to try a few Kids Central Kitchen baking mixes and I am so excited to tell you about them.
I tend to get stressed when I am cooking or in the kitchen in general but making Kids Central Kitchen’s Chocolate Chip Energy Bars was fun and was a good way for Sebastian and I to spend quality time together. He had a blast making these bars. Kids Central Kitchen’s baking mix recipes are easy for kids to follow and when finished baking the young chef will feel a great sense of accomplishment.

Kids
Central Kitchen’s natural, whole grain baking mixes are free from trans fats, hydrogenated oils,
refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, flavors
and preservatives. So what do they have in them? Yummy goodness. Organic oats, semi-sweet chocolate chips, cane juice and the chef (that’s you) adds a few ingredients including applesauce and yogurt. I wish I could put a ‘scratch and taste’ on here so you could taste the Chocolate Chip Energy Bars. They are so good!

Sebastian was very proud of himself for mixing and baking the bars and then serving the bars to all of us. You can tell by the picture below that he was in absolute heaven when eating a bar.

Baking mixes include the Homerun Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Mix, Slam Dunker Chocolate Chocolate Chip
Cookie Mix, Snow Angel Sugar Cookie Mix, Mudslinger Chocolate Brownie
Mix, Swinging Monkey Banana Bread Mix, Flip Flop Flap Jacks Pancake Mix
& our favorite, the Propeller Chocolate Chip Energy Bar Mix.

Icon_website2