Celestron SkyScout Personal Planetarium
Have you ever looked up at the sky at night and wonder whether you’re looking at the big dipper or the little dipper? Well, this revolutionary device will tell you using GPS. And if you want to locate a star or planet, simply select the name from the menu and follow the arrows through the viewfinder. Once you find the what you are looking for, the SkyScout will give you facts and trivia about the object you are looking at. The SkyScout has a built-in database that can locate over 6,000 stars, planets and constellations. This is a wonderful learning tool for your child, if they can prie it out of your hands. SKYSCOUT
Posted: February 19, 2009 | by Julie
Filed under: 5-12 yrs (Big Kid), Educational, Toys/Games/Books | No comments yet 
Beautiful Pop-Up Books by Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart
For those of you looking for a beautiful keepsake book, look no further. Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart are masters at making pop-up works of art. I’ve chosen three but there are many more to enjoy. My all time favorite is the “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. This book is simply a masterpiece. If your child is very young, I would think twice about letting him or her read any of these books unsupervised. Adults will enjoy them too. Available at AMAZON
Posted: January 16, 2009 | by Julie
Filed under: 5-12 yrs (Big Kid), Educational, Toys/Games/Books | No comments yet
Organic Play Dough Set
This handmade play dough is organic and comes in 6 scented tubs; lemon, cherry, orange, key lime, grape and strawberry. The kit includes a 2 patterned rollers, a hammer and a rolling cutter. Cost: $38, by CLEMENTINE STUDIO
Posted: December 16, 2008 | by Julie
Filed under: 3-5 yrs (Pre-school), 5-12 yrs (Big Kid), Educational, Toys/Games/Books | No comments yet
Lunchology
Start the new school year with words of inspiration and encouragement. I bought 2 packs of these printed lunch bags at Whole Foods. One pack has 25 different bags. Each bag has a different thought or words of encouragement along with a cute drawing. There are different themes available. Some of the themes are: Inspirational, Friendship, Brain Teasers, Animals, Language Learners in Spanish and French, Back to school, Betcha Didn’t Know, Puzzle Mania and many more. There’s even a place on the bag to write your child’s name, teachers name and room number. These lunch bags are a sure way to make your child feel extra special during the day. Cost: $4.99 LUNCHOLOGY
Posted: August 20, 2008 | by Julie
Filed under: 3-5 yrs (Pre-school), 5-12 yrs (Big Kid), Educational, Food | 1 comment so far
PLEO
PLEO is an amazing baby Camarasaurus. He operates autonomous without a remote control. He is not a remote controlled toy, he is a interactive pet dinosaur. He is unpredictable. PLEO has needs. PLEO will graze, nap and toddle around on his own and change his mind or mood just as you do. Inside, Pleo is full of technical devices such as IR communication, infrared interrupter, chin touch sensors, front and rear speakers, tilt and shake sensors, ground sensors, leg touch sensors, force feedback sensors, rear touch sensors, shoulder touch sensors, binaural microphones, color camera and head touch sensors. The PLEO is powered by a NiMH rechargable battery. The PLEO has developed emotions, awareness of it’s surroundings, it can evolve and learn what it likes and dislikes. PLEO is not cheap at $300.00 dollars however like I mentioned, it isn’t just a toy. It’s a companion, a cool one. PLEO
You cay buy your own PLEO here:
Posted: August 19, 2008 | by Julie
Filed under: 5-12 yrs (Big Kid), Educational, Entertainment, Toys/Games/Books | No comments yet
Nyokki
Nurture your child’s green thumb with these adorable easy to care for pet plants. Filled with Rye grass seed, Nyokkis grow to full height in less than two weeks. You can then style and trim their hair and let them grow some more. Handmade in Japan, and plenty of characters to choose from. Cost: $9.95 NYOKKI
Posted: July 10, 2008 | by Julie
Filed under: 3-5 yrs (Pre-school), 5-12 yrs (Big Kid), Educational | No comments yet
Alex Toys – Super Art Studio
Perfect for the little Picasso in your home, the Alex Super Art Studio is a aluminum case complete with 140 pieces which include Water color paint with palette, colored pencils, oil pastels, crayons, markers, paint brushes, pencils, scissors, pencil sharpener, mini stapler, eraser, paper clips, ruler, clear and white glue. The case is an impressive aluminum frame with latches and handle. This item is suitable for ages 4 and up. No need to be bored this summer. Let creativity reign. ALEX SUPER ART STUDIO
Posted: July 3, 2008 | by Julie
Filed under: 3-5 yrs (Pre-school), 5-12 yrs (Big Kid), Educational, Fashion, Kids Gear | No comments yet
Habitrail “OVO” Series
Do you remember back in the day when you or your friend had a Habitrail? That cool modular Hamster compound, made with bright colors and clear plastic tubes. Well, they still make them, now only cooler. The “Ovo” series is a more compact, user friendly unit that you can still expand to ridiculous possibilities. You can link multiple “Ovo’s” together using the tubes, and make your own Habitrail city. This is perfect for those of us where space is limited. There is even a whimsical insert for the “Ovo” that gives your Hamster three different settings. HABITRAIL
Posted: June 22, 2008 | by Julie
Filed under: 5-12 yrs (Big Kid), Educational | No comments yet
UberArc Construction Kit
This is one of the coolest building sets I have seen in a long time. The UberArc Construction kit is great for kids age 10 and up. In the kit, they get real blueprints to build a skyscraper or they can design their own. Kids apply for a building permit online at the UberArc website. The building permit will show them the seismic and wind loads for their proposed skyscraper. I’ve seen one built at Puzzle Zoo in Costa Mesa, Ca. This thing can reach almost 8 feet tall. This is for kids with a lot of patience that pay attention to detail, not for my kids for sure. I can already picture the screaming and frustration and pieces of UberArc all over the floor. UBERARC
Posted: May 30, 2008 | by Julie
Filed under: 5-12 yrs (Big Kid), Educational, Toys/Games/Books, Tweens & Teens | No comments yet
World Offset
I encourage you and everyone you know to take part in this cool site. World Offset has a calculator that shows how much you can reduce your carbon footprint by making a few simple adjustments to your lifestyle. You make a promise to yourself, and the website sends you reminders to help keep you honest. It’s free, however the outcome is major. This is something that your entire family can get involved in, especially your kids. This is a cool way to bring awareness to the environment and the individual impact we have on the earth. Having a reminder sent to you really works. My daughter now keeps track of how long she is in the shower, and as a result, wastes less water. WORLD OFFSET
Posted: May 23, 2008 | by Julie
Filed under: Educational, For Parents | No comments yet
