Category Archives: New posts

VTech MobiGo review and giveaway

This contest has ended. Congratulation to the winner Amy P.!

Madelyn playing with her VTech MobiGo

VTech’s done it again with another great product that kids love to play with and learn from. Way to go VTech!

VTech MobiGo

Madelyn got a VTech MobiGo a few days ago and as you can see in the photographs, she loves it and takes it with her everywhere. My 10 year old went to camp about 35 minutes away and the MobiGo was great to have in the car. I actually got to listen to grown-up music while she played with her MobiGo! What was really great is that Madelyn, 4 years old, didn’t get frustrated with any of the games or have to ask me for help.
I’ve reviewed a lof of electronic toys for kids over the last 8 years and MobiGo is one of the easiest for young kids to pick up on right away and keeps preschoolers and grade schoolers interest very well.

Madelyn loves the squirrel game during which she has to draw/trace horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines that magically turn into bridges, swinging ropes, wheels, elevators, and more that help get the squirrel get back home.
The MobiGo keeps Madelyn’s attention very well. Not that I want my kids to be staring at a game system for hours but what’s important to me is that the game be entertaining enough (and educational.. of course!) to keep their attention and MobiGo’s Touch through completion.
The MobiGo is a comfortable size for preschoolers to hold and the smooth grips on the sides make it so that the MobiGo shouldn’t slip out of her hands.

VTech MobiGo details:

  • Touch-screen: Applying touch control that includes tap, flick, pat and drag & drop, kids learn with fun on the same technology as parents do with their touch-screen devices.
  • Educational games: From coloring, drawing and playing instruments, kids can discover a wide variety of fun and engaging learning games. MobiGo teaches a wide range of skills including math, vocabulary, spelling, logic and categorization. The slide open QWERTY keyboard introduces and facilitates typing skills.
  • Downloadable Content: Additional games and content will be available for download so kids can customize their MobiGo with the latest innovative games and continue the learning and fun for years to come. This feature hasn’t officially launched yet but I can’t wait to see what’s available!
  • Portable: Handheld robust gaming console makes learning fun on the go for little hands and is equipped with headphone and AC adapter jacks.. headphones must be purchased separately.

MobiGo Game Cartridges

11 licensed title game cartridges will be available for purchase for approximatly $19.99 with more being added in the near future.
Titles include:
Ben 10, Disney/Pixar’s Cars, Disney Fairies, Disney Princesses, Dora the Explorer, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Mr. Men & Little Miss, NASCAR, Shrek, Super Hero Squad, and Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3.

VTech MobiGo key facts

  • MobiGo Touch Learning System will be available nationwide in August at key retailers and online at Amazon.com and www.vtechkids.com.
  • Suggested retail price: $59.99
  • MobiGo Touch Learning System is recommended for ages 3 to 8 years
  • The slide-out QWERTY keyboard familiarizes children with typing skills.. you know your kids are going to be texting when they’re 6 or so. 😉
  • For more information on VTech’s additional product lines, visit www.vtechkids.com, www.facebook.com/VTechToys on Facebook or follow @VTechToys on Twitter.

A short video demo

Watch this short video of Madelyn playing with her VTech MobiGo. You can see how easy it is for Madelyn (4 years old) to use the touchscreen in this video and how great the graphics are.
(sorry about the shaky video and that I don’t sound very enthusiastic.. I wasn’t feeling so great when I shot the video)

VTech MobiGo Giveaway

We are giving a lucky reader a VTech MobiGo Touch Learning system!
Entries accepted through June 21, 2010.
The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond. Open to US residents 18+ only. Your email and contact information may be shared with Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide for shipping purposes only.

Mandatory entry: To enter to win our VTech MobiGo giveaway sweepstakes, fill out the form below.

Extra entries:
Do as many as you’d like for up to 10 entries!
– Leave a comment below telling us why you want to win. (2 extra entries)
– Follow @mommyinsider on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. (2 extra entries)
– Follow @VTechToys on Twitter (2 extra entries)
– Follow VTech Kids on Facebook and tell them you entered to win a MobiGo from The Mommy Insider (3 extra entries)

This giveaway ended June 21st, 2010.

News: Baby Buggy Bedtime Bash draws hundreds to family-friendly carnival to raise money for New York’s children in need

Can you imagine having to choose between paying your rent/mortgage or buying medicine or diapers for your child?

Baby Buggy®, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to delivering essential baby items to New York City families in need, held its 4th annual Baby Buggy Bedtime Bash, presented by Target®, Thursday, June 3rd at Victorian Gardens at Wollman Rink in Central Park.  The eagerly anticipated sold out event raised $384,000 and was attended by more than 1000 parents and children.

Jessica Seinfeld, Founder and President of the Board, attended the event with Baby Buggy’s Board members and Friends along with supporters Natalie Morales, Erica Hill, Jeff Gordon, Celerie Kemble, and Juju Chang all of whom attended with their children.  Also in attendance were many families from Baby Buggy partner site Harlem Children’s Zone, who attended as VIP Guests.

“New Yorkers never disappoint, and they always support fellow New Yorkers in need,” said Baby Buggy Founder Jessica Seinfeld. “Families need Baby Buggy now more than ever – our sites are reporting a 15% increase in need over this same time last year.  Many parents who already depend on Baby Buggy are now unemployed and forced to make difficult choices between things like paying rent, or buying medicine versus purchasing a crib or buying diapers.  Thanks to our generous corporate sponsors and supporters, the money raised at this event will mean fewer parents having to make painful choices in how they provide for their children.”

Target was the event’s lead sponsor. Additional sponsorship was provided by Aveeno Baby®, Nickelodeon, Delta Children’s Products, Natural Care by Danny Seo, Lansinoh, Rosie Pope Maternity, MeeGenius! and Skip Hop.  The family-friendly celebration, which included carnival rides and activities, also featured appearances by Clifford the Big Red Dog, Bob the Builder and Angelina Ballerina.

The Target tote gift bag contained up & up hand sanitizer, up & up baby sunscreen lotion, Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion, Aveeno Baby Wash & Shampoo, Delta toddler hangers, Cleanwell, a HIT Entertainment DVD, a Sprout Coloring Book, a copy of Observer Playground, MeeGenius! Postcard, Lansinoh Clean & Condition Cloths, a free class at SoulCycle, a Citibabes guest pass, a bib from Rosie Pope Maternity and a Gruber Photographers coupon.

ABOUT BABY BUGGY

Baby Buggy®, founded in 2001, is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing New York City families in need with essential equipment, products and clothing for their infants and young children.  With an extensive network of community-based organizations, Baby Buggy® has donated over 4.1 million items to thousands of children. For more information, please visit www.babybuggy.org.

Review: Summer Playtime Fun with the Playmobil Wild Life Care Station

Madelyn and Sebastian were so excited when they saw the Playmobil Wild Life Care Station (amazon.com link). Both of my kids, ages 10 and 4, love this Playmobil set and let me tell you.. I love it too.. not only because it’s super cool but because it actually occupies both of my kids for longer than 15 minutes at a time. It’s a rarity that we have  a toy that both kids enjoy playing with.. and playing together.. that’s even more rare!  Thanks Playmobil!

Playmobil Wild Life Care Station
Playmobil Wild Life Care Station

Upon opening the box, I was a bit surprised to see so many pieces and that it required assembly and wished I had opened it when Madelyn wasn’t around but Playmobil includes a tool that makes assembly a snap (literally) and Sebastian put the set together almost by himself and it didn’t take as long as I thought it would.
The set wouldn’t be nearly as fun if it didn’t have so many pieces, so don’t let that hold you back from buying a super cool Playmobil set moms! Your kids will love it and so will you.   This set or another Playmobil set really will occupy your kids for hours and during the summer months when the kids are out of school, anything that occupies the kids so we can get a few things done, is a mom’s best friend.

What I think makes Playmobil Wild Life Care Station (amazon.com link) so amazing is the detail.  Not only the detail of the Wild Life Care Station building but in what’s included in the set.  I can’t tell you how many times Sebastian and I looked at each other and said “this is so cool!” while we were putting it together. Teeny tiny milk bottles that the people can actually hold, bandages to put on the animals, scissors, and a hanging lantern are just a few of the detailed items that come with the Playmobil Wild Life Care Station.  Speaking of teeny tiny.. keep in mind that this set is best suited for kids ages 4 and up.  The giraffe, zebra, and rhinoceros’ head is movable/posable making for fun life-like poses and positions like what you’ll see in the photographs below.

Browse through the photo slideshow below to see the different components included in the Playmobil Wild Life Care Station.

Playmobil has lots of big play sets that your kids will love including a Horse Farm, a Ghost Pirate Ship, and a Hospital.

I am really enjoying the kids Playmobil set and what I am very excited about is that there are tons of ways to add onto any Playmobil set with accessories like people, cars, and animals. I know what I’ll be asking for for the kids birthdays now! 🙂

You can buy Playmobil play sets and accessories on the Playmobil website or on Amazon.com’s Playmobil page here.

Piggy Paint Natural Nail Polish and Remover – review + coupon code + giveaway

Piggy Paint natural nail polish and remover
Madelyn's Piggy Paint fingernails

Up until a few months ago it didn’t occur to me that Madelyn, now 4 years old, might enjoy having her fingernails painted.   The nail polishing began when Madelyn came home from a friend’s house with painted fingernails and she was so excited.  Then of course, I had to take the polish off.  I felt bad for using regular nail polish remover on her tiny fingernails.. the smell and knowing how harsh the chemicals are.  I am so glad to have learned about Piggy Paint’s nail polish remover.

Needless to say I had to go out and buy nail polish for her and I really didn’t know how bad some nail polish is until I tried Piggy Paint’s natural nail polish which I LOVE!  The first thing I noticed when painting Madelyn’s nails with Piggy Paint was that it went on very smoothly unlike some kids nail polish that I bought.  Piggy paint nail polish didn’t drip or get clumpy.   It dried quickly and has proven to be durable, lasting through several baths, rough play outdoors, and regular everyday wear which is a lot for Madelyn.  She’s always doing something with her hands.

About Piggy Paint nail polish

  • There are no toxic chemicals in Piggy Paint™
  • The water based formula is free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, Bisphenol A, ethyl acetate and acetone
  • It dries quickly.  Madelyn’s fingernails were dry within one minute

About Piggy Paint nail polish remover

  • It is low-odor and hypoallergenic nail polish remover
  • Quickly removes all polishes, especially Piggy Paint™ Nail Polish.
  • Contains none of the solvents that could offend your nose or harm our atmosphere.
  • Aloe Vera and Vitamin E are added to supplement the natural oils that protect nails and cuticles.. great for little fingers.

Say good-bye to harsh, smelly chemicals and hello to Piggy Paint™…it’s as Natural as Mud!

Learn more about and buy Piggy Paint nail polish and remover on their website here.

Piggy Paints Coupon code:

Use coupon code MommyInsider to get 10% off your order.  Offer expires June 30th, 2010.

Giveaway!

Piggy Paints is giving 3 lucky readers a $15 gift certificate!
To enter to win leave a comment telling us what your favorite Piggy Paints color is and fill out the entry form.
Entries accepted through June 5th.

TummyTub – stress free bath time for newborns and premature babies

TummyTub
Infant in TummyTub

If new parents could, they would wear earphones while bathing their newborn or just not bathe their newborn at all.  Why?  The screaming and the apparent discomfort the baby is experiencing, of course.

TummyTub is a safe solution to stressful newborn bath time allowing your baby to be in the familiar fetal position making the bathing experience more relaxing for you and baby all the while giving parents easy access to baby in order to thoroughly wash her.

Because the TummyTub only needs a small amount of water in it, it is quicker to fill than the bath tub and the water temperature stays regulated for longer as there is minimal surface area, so baby doesn’t get cold as quickly as she might in the bath tub or sink.  Emersion to shoulder level means relaxing warmth for the whole body.

If you are expecting a baby or have an infant I highly recommend visiting the TummyTub website and watching the videos and viewing the photo gallery of babies using TummyTub.

TummyTub is:

  • Useful from birth up until the age of 12 months. Some children even bath in it until they are 3 years old.
  • Especially recommended for premature babies. The shaped form conveys a feeling of reassurance and security to the baby.
  • Safe.  The TummyTub® has been tested for safety by the STR in the USA and UK.

TummyTub can be purchased at Amazon.com here.