ParentSphere

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010

February 20, 2010 By: Amy Category: Kids, Products

2010Almanac National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010

National Geographic is a name that I’ve known and trusted since I was kid. We always turned to our National Geographic magazines for school projects. I have done much research and have cut out many animals from these publications. It was always so cool to me to have access to information about other places, people and animals, among other things, right at my finger tips.

That being said, when I learned about the release of the Nat Geo Kids Almanac 2010, I was pretty ecstatic. I have a very curious preschooler and instantly knew this would make a great addition to her bookshelf.

This hard cover almanac is vibrant and full of facts and photos of far off lands and of things right in our own backyard. It is history and present-day information at our finger tips. I’m fixing to sit and read this almanac from cover to cover with my preschooler. There are so many things to explore and this almanac provides a kid-friendly way to do it.

We are taking a family vacation to The Dominican Republic in just over three months and have spent some time explaining to our four year old that we’ll be traveling to another country. I was able to refer to our Nat Geo Kids Almanac to point out to her where exactly The Dominican Republic is located and talk to her a little bit about the geography of the country.

nat geo almanac 277x300 National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010

This almanac is chalk-full of details about planets, all the way down to what happens inside of the earth.

Totally loving this book and highly recommending you pick up a copy of it.

National Geographic Kids has teamed up with New Media Strategies to give away one (1) copy of their 2010 Kids Almanac to one ParentSphere reader (MSRP $19.95).

To enter this giveaway:

Leave a comment on this post with your favorite National Geographic learning as a kid (or as an adult). We encourage you to get your kids involved! Are you traveling (or want to travel) somewhere in the coming months? Use the National Geographic Kids website as an excellent resource. Leave your feedback in your entry comment.

Tweet this post for an additional entry. Just leave an additional comment on this post including the link to your Tweet.

We’ll choose a winner at random on Friday, February 26th and notify by email. We’ll also update this post with the winner’s first name and comment number.

*We would also recommend considering a subscription to National Geographic Kids magazine for your child(ren) (10 issues for $15). We have one and it’s the bees knees.

Additional resources, follow NatGeoKids on Twitter. Become a fan on Facebook.

*Make sure to come back and visit in the coming months, as I’ll be posting information about travel preparations for the coming vacation season!

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Tags: books for kids, educational material, grade schooler, preschooler, teens, tweens

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Wonder Bumpers

February 16, 2010 By: Amy Category: Babies, Products

wonder bumpers 678x1024 Wonder Bumpers

In case you weren’t aware, there’s a product out there called Wonder Bumpers from a company named Go Mama Go Designs.

This is not your typical crib bumper. Wonder Bumpers are individual, padded pieces of material that attach to each rung of the crib. They can be purchased in sets of 24 or 38 (MSRP $99-$159) or a 2 pack for around $10.

Seems like a safe option (as opposed to a traditional bumper pad) and there are many designs to choose from.

I was able to take a first-hand look and feel of the Wonder Bumpers and was pretty impressed with the quality.

I haven’t used them on our crib, as I don’t have a full set but if you have used them, I would love to hear your thoughts!

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Tags: baby, room decor, toddler

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Spa Baby: Babies Bathe European-style

February 02, 2010 By: Amy Category: Babies, Products

spa baby tub Spa Baby: Babies Bathe European style

When the press release for Spa Baby came through in my email, I was instantly curious about this new way (new to me, anyway) of bathing a baby. I giggled at first and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to experience it for myself. The timing was perfect, as baby Teagan had just made her arrival and I received the Spa Baby tub to try out.

Untitled 0 05 33 30 Spa Baby: Babies Bathe European style

The above photo is Teagan between 5 and 6 months old. I’m posting snapshots of her bath in our Spa Baby from a video that I had taken. I ultimately decided that I didn’t want to post the video of me bathing her. You can see a baby being bathed in a Spa Baby Tub on the Spa Baby website here if you would like.

I had mixed feelings about the tub, at first. I had trouble getting Teagan to settle into the tub. She was kicking her legs a lot and I had to wait for her to calm down a bit before washing her. When she finally did calm down, things went much more smoothly. I don’t believe that it’s because she didn’t “like” the tub, it’s that she’s not used to taking baths. It’s freezing here in the Midwest and I tend to do a lot more sponge bathing until the weather warms up.

Untitled 0 05 01 05 300x218 Spa Baby: Babies Bathe European style

The Spa Baby website has great tips that I highly recommend following if you have purchased or are planning on purchasing one of these European-style baby bath tubs.

My own tips would be to use a shampoo, conditioner and/or body wash from a pump. It’s much easier for you to hold on to the baby (if the baby is smaller and can slip around easier) and pump the wash into your hand. What I did was use body wash and squeeze a bit into the water before I put the baby in and I just used that to wash her up. As you can see, she doesn’t have much hair, so no need to go crazy with shampoo at this point.

Roll your sleeves up ahead of time or wear a short-sleeved shirt! As you can see from my photo, I had a long sleeve shirt on and mid-bath, tried to roll it up. It wasn’t all that easy because I was trying to hold on to the baby from slipping everywhere. You really have to get a good grip on the baby because they do slip around.

Wear a terry-cloth bathrobe or drape a towel over the front of you for when you’re ready to take the baby out of the tub (so you don’t get soaked and so you can quickly warm the baby). Have another towel ready to throw over the baby.

The tub is like a bucket, the sides are higher around the baby and so is the water, so you do need to be more hands-on with a tub like this than with your basic baby tub. Preparation is key.

Again, the Spa Baby website has excellent tips that you should read before bathing your baby in the tub.

Untitled 0 05 49 20 300x208 Spa Baby: Babies Bathe European style

Overall, I do like the Spa Baby tub. I like that it keeps her warmer than sitting up in standard baby bathtub. I think if you use it often enough, the baby really enjoys the bath and you become much more comfortable and in control. I do think this would make a really fun, unique shower gift for someone.

A great thing about this tub is that it’s made from a safe and non-toxic plastic (polypropylene). No polycarbonate, no bisphenol-A, and has no paint (per the Spa Baby website).

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Tags: baby, bath

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GroBaby All Natural Baby Wipes

January 30, 2010 By: Amy Category: Babies, Products

grobabywipes GroBaby All Natural Baby Wipes

I have had the opportunity to try out a new product from The Natural Baby Company; GroBaby All Natural Baby Wipes and I happen to really like them.

I have used a handful of different brands of baby wipes over the past four years, so this comparison is quite easy. These wipes are very soft, with almost a satin-like feel to them. In my opinion, they have the perfect amount of moisture to clean baby’s bottom. I really feel like I’m “cleaning” her bottom. I guess that’s hard to describe but I just feel like she’s truly clean after I wipe her. Because of the softness and the solution on the wipes, I don’t feel like these wipes are irritating her skin. I suppose you’ll just have to use them yourself to see what I mean.

According to the description on The Natural Baby Company website, these wipes are made from Ingeo™ Fibers (a man-made fiber derived from 100% natural renewable resources). The reason these wipes are appealing to me is because I used all of the popular brand baby products with my first child and I promised myself that this time around, I would try to do better for the baby and for the environment. This is a step in the right direction.

GroBaby wipes are available online ($5.99 for a pack of 80 wipes) and at select retailers (hopefully there is a Whole Foods near you).

For more information on GroBaby products, check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

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Tags: baby, diapering, eco-friendly, healthcare and beauty

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LeapFrog products for your collection

January 25, 2010 By: Amy Category: Babies, Kids, Products

I’ve played with a lot of toys over the past four years and can honestly tell you that my favorite brand is LeapFrog. I really like the quality of their toys and I’m also very impressed by the technology they use in their products. Not to mention they are an extremely generous company.

We recently added the following LeapFrog products to our ever-growing collection:

Zippity

zippity 300x237 LeapFrog products for your collection

Zippity is quite popular with my preschooler right now. It is very easy for her to grasp the concept of how this gaming system works. She gets to use her whole body, which is a plus because I swear, the kid never stops moving. I like it that she’s on her feet playing the game, rather than staring at the screen while sitting on the couch. This is an excellent gaming system for kids around the ages of 4 and up.

I am somewhat of a technology snob and pay attention to graphics. The graphics and animation of the games for this system are exceptional, in my opinion. I am pleased with the look and feel of Zippity. Good job on this one, LeapFrog!

(Picture of Hailey using Zippity coming soon)

My Pal Scout/Violet

mypalviolet 260x300 LeapFrog products for your collection

Pictured above is My Pal Violet. Cute, cute, cute! We love this puppy. Once again, LeapFrog has outdone themselves with technology. Violet and Scout can be connected to your computer via USB cable and personalized. I’m not kidding, we walk around the house everyday singing the little tunes that come from this puppy. Violet says our baby’s name (which grabs her attention); she sings personalized songs (for instance, right now, Violet likes the color black and meatballs are her favorite food. For a while, it was bacon). I absolutely love that you can connect and change options any time you want. This is a stuffed animal that is worth having around.

IMG 1142 300x216 LeapFrog products for your collection

(Teagan and Violet)

Tag Junior Book Pal

tag junior leapfrog 300x200 LeapFrog products for your collection

I’ve been itching to use our Tag Junior with the baby. I can’t wait to see her chubby hands wrapped around this chubby reader. Even our preschooler enjoys the Tag Junior but ultimately, her favorite is the regular Tag reader and books. Tag Junior is less pen-like, compared to the regular Tag Reader. It is much easier for babies/toddlers to grasp in their little, uncoordinated hands. The board books are just the right size for the smaller hands, too.

(Picture of the girls using Tag Junior coming soon)

Before I close, I will also mention that LeapFrog has the technology to tell you what your child is doing/learning. It’s just a matter of connecting your LeapFrog products to your computer and checking out the LeapFrog Learning Path that gathers information from the activities your child does on his/her LeapFrog products and calculates their progress. This is a fantastic, educational tool.

As far as I’m concerned, LeapFrog is blowing their competition out of the water with their quality and technology. I love that I’m able to experience these learning products with my kids! They have been such a huge part of our lives. Thank you, LeapFrog, for taking the time to make products that will make a difference in a child’s life in the future.

http://www.leapfrog.com/en/play/information_center.html

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Tags: books for kids, technology, toddler, toys and games, video games

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Epson WorkForce 610 All-in-One Printer

January 12, 2010 By: Amy Category: His and Hers, Products

epson WF610 Epson WorkForce 610 All in One Printer

I have used three different Epson All-in-One printers over the past several years and quite honestly, none of them have failed me. I have owned and used other name brand printers and they’ve been alright but truthfully, I have preferred the Epson All-in-One printers over anything else that I’ve used. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to try them out.

Besides the Epson WorkForce 610, I have used the Epson Stylus CX8400 and the Epson Artisan 800. All three are considered “all-in-one”, which means they are a printer, scanner, copier and fax machine all in one unit. The WorkForce and Artisan both have WiFi capability, so you can connect wirelessly. This is one of my favorite features, as I’m not always in a position to connect the printer directly to my laptop.

I worked on several projects over the holidays and was quite pleased with the WorkForce 610. My projects printed out quickly and the quality of the print was not compromised. Although, I do prefer the Artisan over the WorkForce for photo projects. I also really like these printers because of their ease of use. They’re sleek and the technology is there. I believe all of the printers I have mentioned here retail for under $200 (with the use of mail-in or instant rebates).

For you iPhone and iPod Touch users, Epson has an app called “iPrint”. Print directly from your device to your wireless printer.

If you’re in the market for a new printer, I would recommend checking out the WorkForce 610 or one of the other Epson All-in-One printers.

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Tags: electronics

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Wow, The Nutcracker is cool!

December 24, 2009 By: Amy Category: Kids, Products

…is just what my four year old exclaims as she sits and watches Prima Princessa’s “The Nutcracker”.

prima princessa nutcracker Wow, The Nutcracker is cool!

She sits and watches the ballet DVD in awe of the beautiful ballerinas and then practices her ballet steps along with the students from the NYC Ballet’s School of American Ballet.

You can purchase Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker from Amazon for around $10 or so.

A perfect holiday gift for your little princess.

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Tags: DVD, entertainment, movies, preschooler, toddler

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CafePress: Personalize Your Christmas

December 17, 2009 By: Amy Category: Babies, His and Hers, Kids, Products

If you’re scrambling for last minute gifts and maybe you can’t (or don’t want to) get out of the house to hit the stores, I think you should consider checking out the new and improved CafePress.

I am pleasantly surprised at the CafePress site revamp. It’s clean and much more pleasing to the eye. I don’t mind clicking around and checking out all of the fun designs and unique gift ideas. In my opinion, it’s a lot less generic than it used to be. They’ve definitely caught up with the times.

Here’s an excellent last-minute gift idea for you. Go to CafePress and create a customized ornament. I just created two ornaments (with a promo code that was graciously offered to me by CafePress) for someone very special in my life. I can’t wait until she opens them! I have a feeling there will be smiles and happy tears when she lays her eyes on them. I am really looking forward to checking them out, too. I don’t doubt the quality will be great, as I have seen other products from CafePress in the past.

Real quick, I’m just going to say that whatever it is that you want to customize, they’ve got it. Apparel, ornaments, Sigg bottles, stationery, etc. I’m happy that I’ve been reacquainted with this online store and I’m pleased to direct you their way.

Don’t pass up CafePress this holiday season. You may be surprised at what unique gifts you can come up with and the person you’re giving the gift to could quite possibly say that you’ve given them the “best gift ever”.

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Tags: arts and crafts, gift guide, holidays, stationery

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Lifefactory: eco-friendly for the babies

December 16, 2009 By: Amy Category: Babies, Products

9 OZ Bottles Lifefactory: eco friendly for the babies

Aren’t they pretty? These glass bottles (MSRP 9 oz. bottle: $14.49) with colorful silicone covers are from Lifefactory (BPA, phthalate, and PVC free). We received one to try out with our newbie. I never used a glass bottle with our first child, so I was all about trying one out with our second. Honestly, we use the vent system bottles that we purchased but our Lifefactory bottle is in the rotation. As a matter of fact, when said second child is old enough to walk around and feed herself, we will most likely give her the glass bottle, as our other bottles tend to be a bit leaky. The silicone cover is nice for gripping and also protects the glass bottle.

lifefactory_teether

lifefactory_teethers

We’re totally down with the Lifefactory Silicone Teether. It’s definitely my favorite. These teethers (MSRP $6.99) are BPA, phthalate, PVC, and latex free. You can freeze or refrigerate them. They are bendable and easy for baby to grip. Like I said, it’s my favorite. You can purchase them online or at a retailer near you. Here is a list of Lifefactory retailers

I think this company’s products are completely worth checking out.

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Our sights are set on these products

December 15, 2009 By: Amy Category: Babies, Kids, Products

We have a spunky, independent four year old daughter and now it’s fun to think about what products make her eyes sparkle. I’ve been paying close attention to the things that seem to interest her the most; drawing/coloring, gaming and imaginative play just to name a few.

Since it’s the gift-giving season, I’ve been compiling my list of gift ideas for my preschooler. Top on my list was an art desk, because she is always busy creating masterpieces with her markers and crayons. Guess where all of her drawing tools and artwork is? On our dining room table. So, when I was offered the Step2 Master Activity Desk (MSRP $80), you bet I jumped on the chance to check it out and talk about it.

Art+Master+Activity+Desk+in+Teal Our sights are set on these products

I’m stoked. This art desk is the perfect solution for us. There is a place for all of her markers, crayons, paper and her precious artwork. Her very own space to imagine and create and I get my dining room table back. Perfect.

The desk also makes her feel “important”. I work from home and she watches me at my desk. Having her very own desk gives her a sense of importance and independence. Hopefully it will help keep her creative juices flowing. We may have a budding artist on our hands.

Next up is educational gaming. We’ve got a Leapster2 ($80) and she plays with it quite often. Her favorite game to play is Wall-E. We’re pretty huge LeapFrog fans here in this house. Excellent products. You’ll hear me talk about them more in an upcoming post.

leapster2 Our sights are set on these products

We also have a tiny sprout who was born this past summer. She’s just discovering the world around her. She’s starting to enjoy looking at and playing with toys. We don’t have this exact product but we do have something similar that she loves to “talk” to. It is K’s Kids School Bus and Finger Puppets Set (MSRP $35).

K's+Kids+School+Bus+and+Finger+Puppets+Set

It’s fun to put on the animal finger puppets that we have and entertain our five month old. If anything can get her to “talk”, it’s these finger puppets. I think I need to get the K’s Kids School Bus and Finger Puppets Set. I’m pretty sure she would dig it.

If you think your kid is pretty creative, or creative enough to win a year’s worth of free toys, you could consider entering the Imagination Nation Contest. 1st place price is free toys for a year (up to $2,400). The 2nd and 3rd place toys aren’t too shabby either.

So, what are you shopping for this gift-giving season?