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family fun

My Favorite Canvases: Canvas on the Cheap + Discount!

A couple of weeks ago on Instagram, I shared a canvas print we received from Canvas on the Cheap.  It turned out to be far more fantastic than I expected and now I seriously want to re-do every family photo in our home.  Canvas on the Cheap has many options to choose from 8″x8″ to 30″x40″, but I fell in love with 16″x20″ frame we received.  And guess what…..there is an exclusive link for Here Wee Read readers below!

There are so many things I love about these canvases.

QUALITY: The quality is amazing.  The thickness, the detail, the coloring, the packaging they were shipped in….they pay attention to every single detail!  All photos have a gorgeous semi-gloss finish.

EASY TO HANG: All I had to do was hang it on my wall, make sure it was level, put my nail and hook up and ta da…..it was perfect!  Seriously took me 5 minutes!  My husband couldn’t believe how fast I did it on my own!

FAST TURN AROUND:  I got everything in about 2-3 days.

I wish I could invite you all over to see it in person because the pictures really don’t do it any justice.  Buy one for yourself and your family to enjoy! Everyone needs one of these canvases in their home.

SAVE BIG ON CANVAS PRINTS FOR YOUR HOME!

Head to Canvas on the Cheap using my special link to order today!  The 8″x8″ canvases would make a great back to school gift for teachers, birthday presents or anytime of the year.

Your turn: Have you converted any of your family photos into canvas prints?  Feel free to share in the comments.

PIN PHOTO BELOW TO SAVE THIS COUPON CODE ON MY FAVORITE CANVAS PRINTS

family fun

Literary Road Trip: Foxwoods Casino & Resort


Foxwoods Casino and Resort is located about an hour north of us, which makes it perfect for a quick road trip getaway. Thank you to Foxwoods for hosting us last month!

We stayed in a one bedroom deluxe room with two double beds that sleeps 4. We found the room to be spacious even with the four of us in it.  The rooms and hallways were always very clean and whenever we asked a staff member a question (like finding our way around – the place is huge!) they were always very helpful and polite. I was particularly taken by the sophisticated colors and the Native American accents shown throughout the hotel, casino and resort. It felt very luxurious and well appointed.  An added bonus was looking at all the beautiful holiday decor since we went right around the Christmas holiday.

Our room was located in the beautiful Fox Tower.  With the blanket of light snow far below, the views from this height were very impressive. We could have stayed in our room all day enjoying the views.  The views at sunset were incredible!

While Foxwoods doesn’t have on-site child care, they do offer activities for kids, along with familiy-friendly shows, on-site casinos and adult-themed entertainment.  Also, did you know they are second on the list of top ten largest casinos in the U.S.?  The giant Foxwoods Resort complex currently boasts a whopping 344,000 square feet of casino space, 4,800 slot machines, and 280 table games (including poker tables).  They also have a 20-lane bowling alley, golf course, museum, zip line, outdoor trails, an outlet shopping mall, swimming pools, spas, an arcade with dozens of kid-friendly games and dozens of family-friendly restaurants.

My husband and I aren’t huge gamblers, but we took turns exploring the gaming area for a bit while one of us stayed with the kids.  During our stay we also had the opportunity to take advantage of the kid-friendly activities.  The kids were so excited to get up close and personal with live reindeer, feed them and take photos with Santa.

Since we had some last minute holiday shopping to finish we also did some shopping at Tanger Outlets.  Tanger Outlets offers everything from high end shops to affordable stores you know well.  Mixed in with the shops are also many restaurants to choose from.

Bring on the Books!
Of course our road trip wouldn’t have been complete without books!  There is a nearby public library just minutes away from Foxwoods (Preston Public Library), but we opted to go to Bank Square Books in Mystic, CT instead.  It’s located directly across the street from the famous Mystic Pizza from the popular movie.  I had been wanting to check out that book store for a while so this trip was the perfect opportunity.

Overall, I was pleased with Bank Square Books.  It’s a cute and quaint store with a nice selection of both children’s and adult books along with other novelty items.  I purchased a book for the kids as a Christmas gift – one we didn’t own yet: Green Pants by Kenneth Kraegel.

The thing we like most about Foxwoods is everything is in one location.  If we didn’t go off-site to visit the book store, we wouldn’t have had to go outside at all.  Foxwoods is a unique and diverse experience for families to explore.  No matter what your interests, Foxwoods is fun and worth the trip for the whole family.  Be sure to check out some of their upcoming family-friendly events taking place soon!

Riverdance – Bring the family to go watch this amazing show!

New England Patriots Cheerleading Auditions – Have you ever wanted to see cheerleading auditions for a professional football team take place?  Well this is your chance to do it for FREE!!!  Great for sports and cheerleading fans!  A fun, free, family-friendly event!

Piff the Magic Dragon – Go see the break out star from season 10 of NBC’s ‘America’s Got Talent’, Piff the Magic Dragon!

Super Hero Kids Week!
4/7/2018 – 4/15/2018
It’s time to take a break from saving the world and celebrate Super Hero Kids Week! This is the best time for kids to unleash their inner super hero and for Tanger Outlets at Foxwoods to unleash it’s savings for all! We are celebrating this 9 day event by hosting all sorts of free super hero themed activities. Meet your favorite heroes and participate in the scavenger hunt for prizes and much more!  For easiest access to Tanger Outlets park at the Fox Tower garage.

Family Fun Day with Mystic Aquarium- APRIL 14TH
Join Tanger Outlets and The Mystic Aquarium on Saturday, April 14, 2018 for a fun, interactive family event from 12 – 4 PM near Sketchers. Kids can learn about Dinosaurs and see LIVE tree fogs in a simulated habitat! Touch a real fossil and see ancient artifacts. Families can enter to win an encounter with live animals at Mystic Aquarium.

Disclaimer: We received a media rate for our stay at Foxwoods.  As always all opinions are honest and my own.

Your turn: Are you planning an upcoming literary road trip?  I’d love to hear about your experience and where you’re planning to go!  Feel free to share in the comments.

family fun

Playtime at the Palace Theatre: Connecticut Family-Friendly Events + A Giveaway!

Playtime at The Palace, the hit series of live performances geared toward children and families, returns to The Palace Theatre in Stamford, CT on Sunday, January 14, 2018. The fun-filled season of puppeteers, bubble-makers, magicians and musicians has doubled in size for 2018, with eight shows to entertain and delight even the youngest theatergoers.

Playtime at The Palace runs select Sundays January through April with performances at 3:00pm.  What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon especially during the winter months when cabin fever usually starts to kick in.

The 2018 line-up includes:

January 14 – Cardboard Explosion: A one-of-a-kind puppetry experience, Cardboard Explosion brings original stories to life using nothing but cardboard and the power of imagination. With help from the audience, puppeteer Brad Shur transforms simple cardboard shapes into elaborate puppet characters. Audience members will outsmart dragons, choose their own superpower, and train adorable animal sidekicks in this fun, energetic, participatory show.

February 4 – The Magic of Presto Pete & Incredulous Chris: Traveling two-man kids comedy magicians and real life brothers Presto Pete and Incredulous Chris present this ultra high-energy show. Kids will guffaw and giggle at their crazy cartoon-like slapstick antics and be wowed at the illusions presented. The show is sibling rivalry at its wackiest and packed with audience participation.

February 11 – Mr. Fish: The Science of Magic: The secrets of magic are scientifically revealed! Most magic tricks and illusions that have confounded and confused audiences for centuries actually have scientific explanations. This show uses mirrors, magnets, air, optical illusions, and mental confusions to educate and delight the audience, demonstrating the principals of light, sight, reflection, magnetism, memory, air pressure, and logic.

February 18 – The Tanglewood Marionettes Present Sleeping Beauty: Large, beautifully handcrafted marionettes, colorful sets, and integrated lighting and sound create a fully immersive theatrical experience. In the Tanglewood Marionettes’ retelling of the classic tale, a painted storybook opens to reveal each scene and marionettes are brought to life by a master puppeteer as the dramatic events unfold.

March 4 – Jay and Ray: Jams for Fams: With an energetic, silly and fun show rooted in play-based learning, Jay and Ray explore rhythm, melody and movement in a way that’s entertaining not only for children, but their parents as well.

March 11 – Casey Carle’s BubbleMania: Dubbed “a true master of his craft” by Cirque du Soleil, Carle’s one-man show combines spontaneous comedy, jazzy music and brilliant bubbling. Carle delights audiences with fantastic fog-filled bubble sculptures, a cube bubble, funky foam, bubble ping-pong, trapping an audience member (or two) inside a gigantic soap bubble and thousands of bubbles filling the stage.

March 25 – Story Pirates: The Stuck in the Stone Age Tour: In Story Pirates’ newest book, “Stuck in the Stone Age,” two scientists accidentally transport themselves back in time to the age of cavemen and saber-tooth tigers. Audiences join in the adventure to bring Tom Edison (no relation to that Thomas Edison) and Dr. Marissa Morice back home, all the while learning about the building blocks of a good story and proving that every kid has a story to tell.

April 8 – Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers’ The Legend of the Banana Kid: Featuring twenty handcrafted glove, mouth and rod puppets, and a slew of flying and twirling Styrofoam bananas, “The Legend of the Banana Kid” tells the story of Little Chucky as he heads to the Wild West to outwit outlaws in this cowboy adventure.

The Palace is offering a “Buy More and Save” bundle for patrons interested in four Playtime at The Palace shows. Individual tickets are $12.50 plus a $2.50 facilities and handling fee. The $50 “Buy More and Save” bundle includes a ticket to four shows when purchased in a single transaction. The facility and handling fees for bundle tickets will also be waived.

The Palace Theatre is located at 61 Atlantic Street in Stamford, CT. Tickets for all performances may be purchased on palacestamford.org or by calling the box office at 203-325-4466. For the latest news and updates, follow @ThePalaceTheatreStamford on Facebook and @PalaceStamford on Twitter.

About The Palace Theatre
The 1,580-seat Palace Theatre is dedicated to performing arts of all genres – music, dance, theater and comedy. In addition to hosting world-renowned performers in each of those fields, the Palace partners with arts organizations like the Stamford Symphony and Connecticut Ballet for their performances. The Theatre’s three floors encompass a deeper-than-typical Broadway-size stage, a café, a Learning Center, a theatre-long art gallery and a magnificent glass-walled promenade. The Palace is dedicated to providing exciting entertainment that enriches the cultural, educational, economic and social life of the community.

The Giveaway!

One lucky reader will win a 4-pack of tickets to Cardboard Explosion on Sunday, January 14, 2018!

  • Must be 18 years or older to enter
  • Only one entry per person
  • Contest closes on January 7, 2018 at 11:59 pm EST
  • One winner will be chosen at random and will be notified via e-mail.
  • The winner will have 24 hours to respond by email with his/her name, mailing address, and phone number to the claim prize. If he/she does not respond in the designated time he/she forfeits the chance at the prize. An alternate winner will be chosen.
  • Tickets can be picked up at the Will Call office at the Palace Theatre on the day of the performance.

Cardboard Explosion

Connecticut

Literary Road Trip Series: Mohegan Sun, A Kid-Friendly Casino Resort

Disclaimer: We are thrilled to partner with Mohegan Sun for literary road trip series.  We received a discounted hotel stay and meals in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.


Although casinos are commonly known as adult playgrounds, I was surprised to learn that places like Mohegan Sun offer a variety of activities and options for families with children.

Kids will immediately love arriving into the lobby area of either the Earth or Sky Tower with the check-in desks surrounded by beautiful sculptures.  We went during the holiday season so we had the opportunity to enjoy all of the amazing, festive décor.

Upon checking into our hotel room, we were thrilled to learn that Mohegan Sun is all about providing a family-friendly destination experience that truly offers something for everyone. For those who enjoy shopping and eating there are plenty of shops and restaurants with fine and casual dining options.

Visitors looking for an escape will find the ELEMIS and Mandara spas as well as an 18-hole golf course, fitness center and indoor pools.  And for those who just want to play and try their luck at winning, of course there are plenty of action-packed gaming floors to choose from.  Oh, and did I mention kids eat FREE at some restaurants like Chick-fil-A every Tuesday evening?  Also, kids ages 6 and under eat free at the Mohegan Sun buffet restaurant every day!

There are also plenty of live entertainment venues for kids, families and adults. Best of all, Mohegan Sun offers a Kids Quest hourly care play center for children, and a Cyber Quest arcade for family-friendly fun!  This was a complete game changer for me since we didn’t have someone else with us to watch the kids.  I was completely sold!  It was such a treat to bring them to a safe place like Kids Quest for a couple of hours while we had the opportunity to explore the casino floor. (We didn’t win big, but we had fun while being kid-free!)

Of course, we toured Kids Quest first to make sure it was indeed safe and some place we felt comfortable leaving our kids at since they had never been there before.  Kids Quest not only has a fully trained and capable staff, it’s also packed with lots of stuff to keep kids occupied for hours on end.  There are iPad stations, PlayStation stations, video games, rock wall, a stage for karaoke and imaginative play, art supplies, an area for tiny tots & babies, a sports zone and so much more!  Kids Quest is for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old.

Mohegan Sun also has their own book store called Spin Street which has a small selection of fiction and nonfiction books for adults (no picture books for kids), videos and other novelty items like t-shirts.

Display of fiction and nonfiction books inside the Spin Street book store

Display of books and novelty items inside the Spin Street book store

In addition to checking out Spin Street book store we also ventured out to two local libraries: Gales Ferry Library and Bill Library.  Bill Library is closer to Mohegan Sun and Gales Ferry Library is located about 10 – 15 minutes away from Bill Library.  Both libraries were very charming and quaint with a nice selection of recent and older books for children, teens and adults.  The kids enjoyed playing with the toys in the children’s section of Bill Library, but they were fast asleep by the time we arrived at the Gales Ferry Library.

Gales Ferry Library located in Gales Ferry, CT

    “The road to knowledge begins with the turn of a page.”

If you’re thinking of taking a family trip to Mohegan Sun I’d highly recommend it!  Bring the kids to enjoy the arcade or some of the many other kid-friendly activities they have going on at different times of the year.  We’ll definitely be returning more often to visit with or without the kids!

Your turn: Do you think casinos resorts are for adults only?  Feel free to share in the comments.

Book Reviews

Beyond the Book: Shoe Tying Activity & Craft For Kids

We partnered with Disney Books to bring you this fun and easy shoe tying activity for kids.

Using the potty.  Riding a bike without training wheels.  Getting yourself dressed.  Tying your own shoelaces.  Conquering any of these tasks are considered to be childhood milestones that truly set kids apart as “big kids”.  Am I right?

But shoe tying is not necessarily easy to learn or teach, especially with kids under the age of 6.  Developmentally speaking, children are typically capable of independently lacing up and tying their shoes all by themselves by 6 1/2 years of age.  Prior to that age, there is a progression of skills that build up to conquering the ultimate task–shoe tying.  Despite knowing this information, I decided to start introducing the kids to the concept of tying their shoes a little early.  It’s never too soon to start, right?

Before we began our craft activity, we read the latest book in the Elephant and Piggie Like Reading! series by Mo Willems, It’s Shoe Time! by Bryan Collier.  It’s such a cute story about a little African-American girl in search for the perfect pair of shoes.  The book provides a great overall message to kids about individuality and daring to be different.  Who says your socks, shoes or shoelaces always have to match?

I was pleasantly surprised to see this book featured a little Brown girl and her dad!  The kids were thrilled to see Elephant, Piggie and even Pigeon appear in the book.  The Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! series introduces readers to new authors and characters through Mo Willems’ beloved characters.  What a fun surprise!  This book was also great for reinforcing concepts like the matching pairs and the difference between your left foot and right foot.

To make the shoes, I simply printed a free shoe template and glued it to a piece of cardboard for reinforcement.  After the kids colored and decorated their cardboard shoes, it was time to practice tying the laces.  My 4 year-old son had a little bit of a harder time trying to grasp the concept than my 5 year-old daughter.  She’s a tenacious little girl and I have no doubt she’ll get it down after practicing more times and when she’s developmentally ready.

Since my kids seem to retain information better when there’s a catchy rhyme or song to go along with it, we practiced saying this rhyme during our practice sessions:

Bunny ears, Bunny ears, playing by a tree.
Criss-crossed the tree, trying to catch me.
Bunny ears, Bunny ears, jumped into the hole,
Popped out the other side beautiful and bold.

If you’re looking for some help teaching your child to tie his or her laces, I hope you found this activity to be helpful.  And if you’re looking for a fun shoe themed-book to read check out It’s Shoe Time!

Have you already taught your children to tie their laces? What worked for you?

************

Book Featured
It’s Shoe Time! by Bryan Collier (from the Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! series from Mo Willems)

Released November 7th, 2017

Recommended for ages 6-8

About the Book

Tie your laces. Zip your zippers. And tap your toes. It’s…SHOE TIME!

This lyrical beginning-reader by multi award-winning artist Bryan Collier turns the closet on its heel and redefines what it means to be a pair. Beautifully rendered art paired with rich, rhyming dialog creates a powerful reading experience.

Connect With Disney Books!

Visit the Official Website

Follow Disney-Hyperion on Twitter

Check out Disney Books on Facebook and Instagram

Book Reviews

We Are in an ART-ivity: Paper Sculpture Activity + Meeting Mo Willems!

Disclaimer: We love Mo Willems books and are so excited to be sponsored by Disney-Hyperion for the #ReadMo Ambassador program!

We Are in an ART-ivity Book! by Mo Willems
Released September 5th, 2017
Recommended for ages 4- 8

About the Book

Drawing! Coloring! Sculpting! Gaming! Puzzling! LOLing! It’s all here in the first-ever Elephant & Piggie ART-ivity book.

Elephant & Piggie are joined by a new face too: Art Vaark. Art the aardvark introduces Elephant, Piggie (and kids) to an incredible span of artistic styles: a “banana” still life; a color-by-number Piggie “Scream” painting; a scrap-paper collage (for which you earn an official “Collage Diploma”); and so much more.

Created by the same team behind Don’t Let the Pigeon Finish This Activity Book!, this fun-filled, hands-on book features an interactive narrative that invites kids into an exciting, original Elephant & Piggie adventure!

Reflection

We’ve been working our way through our ART-ivity book one activity at a time for the past few weeks.  I like the variety it offers: drawing, coloring, games, puzzles and more.  The coloring projects have been great for helping to strengthen fine motor skills and the drawing projects are helping the kids to be more creative even if some of their drawings don’t look exactly like the picture in the book.  That’s ok, right?  That’s what art is all about!

Although this book is recommended for ages 4 to 8, I’d probably recommend if for ages 5 and up simply because some of the activities require slightly more advanced skills (draw a self portrait, cut and paste, mazes, puzzles) than a typical four year-old can handle independently.  Depending on each child’s abilities, adult supervision may be necessary while working on some of the activities in this book.

I love organization so I really LOVE the index in this book that lists various art masterpieces that inspired some of the crafts listed in the book.  The index tells you the name of the artwork, the artist who created it along with the year it was created and where you can find it.  This in itself would make for a great open art discussion with older readers or perhaps inspire you to take a field trip to see one of the art exhibits in person.

The book also has a handy pocket where kids can store all of the art projects and perforated pages that makes it easy to take out of the book.  Helpful icons are displayed on pages throughout the book at the bottom of each page to help kids know what’s needed for each art project.  For example: there is an icon of a pencil, crayons, tape, scissors, paper, etc.  Once the art-ivity book has been completed, there is a certificate for children to write their name(s) on.

Meeting Mo Willems + An ART-ivity!

Last weekend I decided to take our ART-ivity book with us on a field trip to the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst, MA.  We attended the Inspiration Day at the Carle event and guess who was there?  Mr. Mo Willems himself!  Even though I only chatted with him for a brief moment he was just as funny and as personable as you would expect.  I was more excited than the kids were to meet him!

In addition to meeting Mo and having him sign our books, we also created our own paper sculptures in the art studio. My daughter even got creative and turned her paper sculpture into a piece of wearable art!  Check out some of the highlights below.

Shhhh…little artists at work!

Inspiration Day at the Carle with Mo Willems and art-ivities!

Finished paper sculpture #1


Finished paper sculpture #2 – it’s wearable art!

Finished paper sculpture #3 (by Mom)

Mo Willems and Bryan Collier

 

About the Author

Mo Willems (www.pigeonpresents.com), a number one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator, has been awarded a Caldecott Honor on three occasions, for Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity. The celebrated Elephant & Piggie early-reader series has been awarded the Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal on two occasions (for There Is a Bird on Your Head! and Are You Ready to Play Outside?) as well as garnering five Geisel Honors (for We Are in a Book!, I Broke My Trunk!, Let’s Go for a Drive!, A Big Guy Took My Ball! and Waiting Is Not Easy!).

Connect with Disney Books!
Visit the Official Website
Follow Disney-Hyperion on Twitter
Check out Disney Books on Facebook and Instagram

Your turn: What are some of your favorite types of art projects to do with kids?  Have you ever met Mo Willems or any other author/illustrator?  Feel free to share in the comments.

family fun

Spooktacular Halloween Events at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester!

Halloween is Spooktacular at LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester!

Fall is in full swing at LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester with many opportunities to spend quality family time together, no matter the weather! They have lots of great Halloween-themed events and promotions happening in October.

Brick-or-Treat (Weekends in October & Tuesday, October 31) – A ghoulishly good time is brewing at LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester during Brick-or-Treat! Little ghosts and mummies can experience Halloween every weekend in October (beginning October 7) and on Tuesday, October 31 with spooktacular activities sure to please the whole family.

  • Brick or Treat around the attraction to complete a LEGO Bat model that you can take home with you!
  • Halloween themed mosaic builds in the Master Builder Academy
  • Haunted MINILAND, Brick or Treat Factory Brick Giveaway, and LEGO Jack-O-Lantern & MINIFIGURE Ghost Photo Opps
  • Wear your Halloween costume and receive $5 off admission

Teacher Planning Night (October 12) – Calling all Teachers! LEGOLAND Westchester is hosting a special Teacher Planning Night on Tuesday, October 12 from 5 – 7pm. Bring a guest (adult or child) and explore all of the fun and educational elements that we have available. Enter our free raffle for the chance to win a free trip to LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester for your entire classroom (up to 25 students)!

Adult Fans of LEGO® Night! (October 26) – Kingdom Quest has been overrun by the dead! Do you dare to walk through the zombie-infested ride? Even grown-ups should be able to enjoy a LEGO ex-FEAR-ience. Join us on Thursday, October 26 from 7 – 9pm for our Halloween Adult Fans of LEGO® Night and build your very own graveyard scene to keep. Spooktacular activities include horror movie/TV trivia, zombie target practice, a survival gear scavenger hunt, and more.

  • Games, prizes, fun, cash bar & more
  • Build and share ideas with our Master Model Builder, LUG members and other Adult Fans of LEGO®
  • You must be 18 years or over to attend. The fun starts at 7pm (last admission is at 8pm). Take advantage of a special online purchase of only $15 plus tax

Little Playtimes (Tuesdays) – Little LEGO lovers can enjoy big fun at Little Playtimes on most Tuesdays between 10am and 2pm. Enjoy activities including DUPLO Story Time, Farmer’s Workshop, and newly added Animal Bingo.

  • Just $22 for one adult and one child (additional children are $10) plus applicable tax
  • Appropriate for children under the age of five (children age two and under are free)
  • Annual Pass Members are always free

LEGO® Ninjago City Adventure (NOW OPEN)

Pick up your swords and don your headband if you haven’t yet checked out LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester’s newest attraction? LEGO® Ninjago City Adventure, a 2,300-square-foot interactive play area (larger than four average-sized NYC apartments!), immerses guests into the world of the popular LEGO® Ninjago building sets.

  • Put your Ninja skills to the test — balance, agility, strength and endurance — on your quest to save Ninago City and become a Spinjitzu Master
  • Modeled after the Temple of Airjitzu, the two-story play structure includes more than 20 interactive features (horizontal climbing wall, color crush reflex reaction game, obstacle course challenges inspired by kids’ favorite Ninjago characters and more)
  • For our youngest visitors, Ninjago City Adventure is also equipped with a special Toddler Area that features a spin cup, toddler climber and drum panel

Connect with LEGOLAND Westchester Discovery Center!
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

family fun

5 Must-Haves For Your Car If You Have Kids + Child Passenger Safety Week Tips

Disclaimer: I partnered with cars.com to bring you this informative sponsored post following child passenger safety week.  All opinions expressed are my own.


Our family likes going out to explore new and different things and places so we spend a lot of time traveling in our car.  This is especially true on the weekends.  Spending more time in the car means we always need to be prepared for the unexpected, but most importantly we need to keep the kids safe and entertained at the same time.

Since last week was Child Passenger Safety Week, I thought it would be a good time to not only remind you of car seat safety, but also to let you know what must-have items I keep in our car at all times.

1. Water – I don’t like storing plastic water bottles (due to leaking chemicals) in our car so I keep it in a glass bottle instead.  The water is mainly used for emergencies only, not for drinking unless absolutely necessary.  We also travel with fresh water in the car too that I fill up in a thermos before leaving the house.

2. Blankets – I do this because the kids and I are constantly cold, especially in restaurants.

3. “Busy” bag – I have a backpack filled with: books, crayons, pencils, coloring books, hand sanitizer, baby wipes and small toys.  This bag comes in handy for keeping the kids entertained at places like the doctor’s office and restaurants.  I also refill our busy bag with snacks for the kids each time we’re going on longer car rides.

4. Tissue, napkins or paper towel – Life gets messy at times.  You’ll be glad you keep at least one of these handy in your car at all times.

5. First aid kit – Because you never know when an emergency will strike.  Be prepared.

Also, if you’re looking into purchasing or renting a car cars.com has a lot of great information!  They also provide car maintenance tips and car seat safety tips for parents.

Did You Know?

  • Road injuries are the leading cause of unintentional deaths to children in the United States.
  • Of those children ages 8 and under who died in vehicle crashes in 2014, 26 percent were not restrained by an age-appropriate device such as an infant seat, booster seat or seat belt.
  • Children should ride in a vehicle back seat until they are at least 13 years old.

Source safekids.org

Your turn:  What’s on your top 5 must-have list of items you keep in your car?  Feel free to share in the comments.

children's books

Friday Fun: Groovy Joe Dance Party!

Disclaimer: We partnered with Scholastic to share this fun and groovy post!

By Eric Litwin and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

Release: September 12, 2017

Recommended for ages 3-5

By now you should know how much we love to read AND have fun!  So when Scholastic asked us to partner with them on a fun children’s book about music, dancing, singing AND learning math we were all in!  Have you and your kids heard of Groovy Joe yet?  If not, you’re missing out!  Check out the official book trailer to get a glimpse of exactly who Groovy Joe is!  We had fun with the first Groovy Joe book along with the Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes book so I had no doubt this one would be great too!

Having our own Groovy Joe dance party in the comfort of our own home was a great way for the kids to unwind after a long day at school.  We read the book, ate yummy and healthy snacks, made our own music shakers, sang songs and of course we danced!  Check out some of the highlights below.


We printed out the song sheet and these fun certificates!


Like my homemade microphone?

Making homemade music shakers with bowls and kidney beans.


Peek-a-boo, I see you!


My certified “groovy” dancer!  These certificates seemed to help make it more official and legit for the kids.

Of course they had to play with our photo backdrop afterwards!

About the Book
Knock! Knock! Groovy Joe, the fun-lovin’, guitar-strummin’ easy goin’ doggy is back and ready for a dance party with you . . . and a whole new math-lovin’ doggy crew!

Groovy Joe is totally fun.
He’s a tail-wagging, song singing party of one!
And he rocks like this:
Disco party bow wow!

#1 New York Times bestsellers Eric Litwin (Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes) and Tom Lichtenheld (Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site) are back again in another groovy story that will have little ones singing, dancing, and learning math to a whole new beat.

In his second book, Groovy Joe has a dance party. But Oh no! More and more doggies are knocking on his door, asking to come in. Will there be enough room for everyone? Joe knows just what to do and soon enough he everyone moving and grooving — the party has only just begun! Signature rhyme, repetition, and musical writing style, combined with wild and witty illustrations infused and gentle math concepts come together to create an unforgettable new Groovy Joe story all about positivity, creativity, math, and kindness. Groovy Joe is back, ready to get groovy!

Do you want to have your own Groovy Joe party?  How fun would this be at a kid’s birthday party!

Read tips for hosting your own Groovy Joe party

Groove to the Groovy Joe songs and sing-along with Groovy Joe song sheets

Hand out Certificates of Groovy-ness to your party attendees!

About the Author
Eric Litwin is a #1 New York Times bestselling author who merges music and early literacy together. He is the author of the first fourPete the Cat picture books and the exciting new musical series The Nuts. Eric’s books have sold more than 6.5 million copies and won eighteen state and national awards, including a Theodor Geisel Seuss Honor Award. Eric is a popular performing artist who plays guitar, sings, tells stories, and brings books to life. Visit him at ericlitwin.com.

About the Illustrator
Tom Lichtenheld is the illustrator of the New York Times bestsellers Duck! Rabbit!Exclamation MarkSteam Train, Dream TrainShark vs. Train; and Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, which has been on the bestseller list for over three years. He has also written and illustrated a number of books, including What Are You So Grumpy About?Cloudette, and E-mergency, a Publishers Weekly and Boston Globe Best Book of 2011. For more information, visit him at tomlichtenheld.com.

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family fun

STEM Saturdays: Osmo Creative Kit Review

Disclaimer: I received an Osmo Creative Kit directly from Osmo in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

As a Computer Programmer and lover of all things STEM (science, math, engineering and technology), it’s important for me to expose my children to technology in order to help them build foundations for future academic and career success.  I want them to be as computer-savvy as possible from a young age.  Online skills are becoming as important as reading and writing for the younger generations, so why not give them a head start in life?  Since my kids are both still currently under the age of 5, my main goals are making sure they know their way around computers, smartphones and tablets without over exposing them too much.

What is Osmo?

I’ve been a huge fan of Osmo since discovering them a couple of years ago.  Simply put, Osmo is a unique gaming accessory for the iPad that comes with games that will change the way your child plays.  To date Osmo has been named one of Time Magazine’s Best Inventions, is a Parent’s Choice award winner, a winner of the prestigious Oppenheim award, and a 2016 finalist for Toy of The Year.

What’s Included?

We received the Osmo Creative Kit which uses interactive art tools in 3 creative apps: Monster, Masterpiece and Newton. With the creative kit you receive: a white board, dry erase markers, a pouch, and a cloth to erase.

Each of the three apps you download transforms your drawings and instantly brings them to life on the screen right before your eyes! The drawings then become animation to take part in a story, solve a puzzle or they become a one-of-a-kind artwork piece you can frame!

How Do You Play Osmo?

All that you need to play Osmo is an iPad with a camera.  Osmo is currently compatible with: iPad 2, iPad (3rd Generation), iPad (4th Generation), iPad Mini, iPad Mini 2, iPad Mini 3, iPad Mini 4, iPad Air, iPad Air 2 and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. Osmo does not currently work with Android-based tablets, however they hope to develop for Android in the future. Right now they are just focusing on iOS.

Setting up your Osmo gaming system is easy.  You simply download the apps from the app store, place your iPad in the white Osmo base, and then clip on the red Reflector.  And once you set up your Osmo account(s), you’re ready to play!  Note:  If you have multiple children or people who will be using your Osmo you can set up different accounts.  I think this great to be able to track the progress each person has made.

Why We Love Osmo

Although we haven’t quite figured out how to play the Newton game yet, we truly love our Osmo gaming system! The kids enjoy playing Monster the best – they love Mo (and so do I)!  It’s so cool to see all of the things the kids draw being pulled onto the screen.  I’m still amazed at the technology and how it all works.  I want to see the code behind, but that’s just the techie in me I guess!

I personally love the Masterpiece game since I am not the best at drawing.  My drawings always turn out looking amazing!  Now if only I could actually draw that well on my own – ha!  The Masterpiece app has several pictures in the library that you can choose from to sketch. I also like the fact that you can take photos of different objects in your home and draw them as well.  Initially getting used to looking at the iPad screen instead of looking at the paper takes some time and practice.  We love watching our drawings in fast play once we’re done creating them.

My favorite thing about our Creative Kit is all of the games encourage creativity and lots of imagination.  In addition, they encourage children to work on their fine motor skills in a simple way that’s really easy to understand.  You’re learning while having fun and strengthening muscles in your body including your brain.  How cool is that?

Osmo games teach children a wide variety of things like:

• logic and problem solving skills

• spatial relational skills

• spelling and critical thinking skills

• drawing and creative confidence

• counting, addition and multiplication

• math, money, fractions and nonverbal communication

Osmo is recommended for children ages 5 – 12, but my children are able to use it just fine with very little adult supervision required.

To learn more about the affordable Osmo gaming system kits and games visit their website.

Your turn: Do your children have an Osmo gaming system?  How do you teach your children about STEM and/or technology?  Feel free to share in the comments.

 

family fun

Literary Road Trip Series: Legoland Discovery Center Westchester, NY

Disclaimer: My family was provided complimentary tickets to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

Over the years, LEGO bricks have changed very little.  According to LEGO, you can mix bricks made more than 30 years ago with ones in your child’s current collection and-CLICK!-they’d snap together as though not a day had passed.  How neat is that?

Interesting facts: In Latin, the word “lego” means “I build” or “I assemble”.  The interesting thing is LEGO inventor, Ole Kirk Christiansen didn’t know that when he came up with the name.  When Ole Kirk was deciding the new name for the now famous LEGO brand back in 1934, he took the Danish words for “play” and “well” – leg and godt – and combined them into the new name we know today, LEGO.

Our Road Trip Begins!
Last summer our family embarked upon an annual tradition of visiting a family-friendly destination followed by checking out either a local independent book store or library afterwards.  It was such a hit we decided to do it again and hopefully keep it as an annual tradition.  The first stop in our road trip series this year was LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Westchester, NY.

Unlike the LEGOLAND outdoor amusement park in Florida, LEGOLAND Westchester Discovery Center has a wide range of indoor educational and interactive experiences for children (and grown-ups).  There are hands-on play areas, a 4D cinema, master classes led by Master Model Builders, two LEGO amusement rides and MINILAND — the venue’s signature re-creation of famous landmark locations and buildings throughout Westchester County and New York City, made entirely out of more than 1 million LEGO bricks.

The MINILAND creations are amazing and so detailed.  We were told by an employee it took a team of 20 expert Lego model builders six months to complete – wow!  LEGO lovers will see replicas of: Grand Central Terminal, The Empire State Building, The Chrysler Building, The Statue of Liberty, Met Life Stadium, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Central Park and more.  Children will also be mesmerized by the exciting interactive features that include lights, sounds and moving parts.

Upon entering we received a brief factory overview and learned how LEGOS are made from plastic.  First, the plastic is mixed, then heated and finally molded into different colorful bricks.  After that we headed over to the first of two indoor rides, The Kingdom Quest, an interactive laser ride complete with blasters to blast the “bad guys” in order to help save the princess.  We also took a spin on the other ride called Merlin’s Apprentice.

Next, we headed over to the Build & Test Zone where we built our own race cars with different LEGO pieces and wheels.  Once our cars were assembled we enjoyed racing them down the speed test tracks.  Finally, we checked out some of the other exhibits and play pit areas before heading over to the cinema to watch a 10-15 minute 4D animated LEGO movie.

Although they do have a cafe on-site, there weren’t too many options to choose from so we just opted for a light snack which consisted of chips and bottled water.  Since LEGOLAND is located inside of a shopping center you might be better off having lunch at one of the nearby restaurants.  That’s what we ended up doing.  It’s also worth mentioning that outside food isn’t permitted to bring in.

Of course we had to visit the gift shop before we left to purchase some souvenirs.  The shop is stacked with popular LEGO sets, Duplo bricks, and some apparel (hats, t-shirts and watches).  The kids got their own LEGO sets which they have thoroughly been enjoying playing with since they received them.  Oh, and don’t forget to bring your parking ticket to the gift shop in order to get it validated.  Parking isn’t free, but with the validation it comes up to $1.75 for LEGOLAND attendees.

If you’re in the Connecticut, New York or other surrounding areas I’d definitely recommend visiting LEGOLAND Discovery Center.  Especially if you or your kids love playing with LEGOs like mine do.  It’s a nice and clean family-friendly destination to hang out at with your family for a few hours.  There’s a variety of STEM related activities to keep the kids busy and lots of different seating options for grown-ups to sit down while the kids play and explore. Also, bonus points for it being indoors!  That means you can enjoy LEGOLAND all year round without having to worry about the weather.  It’s heated in the winter and cool during the summer months – win, win!

Connect with LEGOLAND Discovery Center!
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Surrounding Local Bookstore or Library

There is a independent bookstore located about 5 minutes away from LEGOLAND Discovery Center called Womrath Bookshop.  They have a great selection of children’s and adult books as well as some novelty items.

Yonkers, NY has three different public library branches to choose from.  We ended up going to the Grinton I. Will Branch located about 10 minutes away from LEGOLAND.  I didn’t know there were three branches to choose from so maybe one of the other two branches are located a bit closer to LEGOLAND.  In any event, the branch we visited was clean and organized with a cute play area in the children’s section.  They also have beautiful murals decorating their walls throughout the library.

There’s a book for that!

Looking to pair this outing with a children’s book?  Check out The Inventors of LEGO Toys by Erin Hagar.  It’s part of the Awesome Minds early chapter book series for kids!

Your turn: Have you visited LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Westchester, NY or any other LEGOLAND?  Feel free to share in the comments.

family fun

3 eeBoo Products Your Children Will Love + A Giveaway!

I initially found out about eeBoo products a couple of years ago while doing an online search for educational toys for kids.  eeBoo is an award-winning toy manufacturer located in New York City.  They make beautifully designed crafts, games, and toys.  All of their products feature cheerful, contemporary, and vintage-inspired designs. In addition to their design focus, all of eeBoo’s products are made of high quality and durable materials.

Being a literacy advocate, I am also pleased to know eeBoo hires well-known children’s book illustrators to design their products.  How great is that?  So if you like books and beautiful art as much as I do then I think you’ll love eeBoo products too.

With the winter season in full effect here in the Northeast, I like to keep the kids busy with lots of indoor activities, games and puzzles.  Our friends over at eeBoo were generous enough to send us a few of their products to try.  We received a 100-piece Children of the World Puzzle, I Never Forget a Face Matching Game, and a set of Good Citizenship Flash Cards.

First Product: I Never Forget a Face Matching Game
My kids are obsessed with playing the I Never Forget a Face matching game!  There are a total of 24 pairs to match up, but I like to break it up and let the kids do 12 pairs at a time so it’s not as overwhelming.  As they get older (around age 5) I think they’ll be able to handle matching up all 24 pairs at once.  The kids love seeing all of the colorful smiling faces of children from countries all over the world.  I love that the game is designed to teach spatial awareness, to help develop memory skills and sharpen recognition.  I also appreciate the fact that the pieces are made with soy-based inks and 90% recycled greyboard.

Second Product: 100-Piece Children of the World Puzzle
We also enjoy putting together the 100-Piece Children of the World puzzle as a group.  It allows us to learn about geography and diversity at the same time.  It’s also a nice conversation starter to talk about where people live around the world.  We also like to discuss different ways to celebrate differences and find similarities among the different cultures.

Third Product: Good Citizenship Flash Cards
The Good Citizenship Flash Cards are fun too.  I find the cards to be useful as they help reinforce some of the values we’ve already been trying to instill in the children over the past few years.  The cards are two-sided and focus on teaching appropriate behavior, unselfish values, and social responsibility. The front of each card starts a sentence which is finished on the back of the card.

Here are some examples:

When someone seems left out…
Ask, “Do you want to play?”

When you see a chore that can be done…
Pitch in and help with chores when you see them.

When playing ANY game…
Never Cheat. Always do your best.

As you can see eeBoo offers a unique collection of toys and gifts that inspire literacy, drawing, imaginative play, and more.  Simply put, they create toys and gifts that children will affectionately remember.  For more information about eeBoo or their products, please visit: http://eeboo.com/

Your turn: Do you and your kids have a favorite eeBoo product?  Feel free to share in the comments.

The Giveaway!!!
To enter the giveaway to receive the same bundle of eeBoo products featured in this post, follow us over on Instagram for all of the details.  All you need to do is tag two (or more) friends in the comments section of each of the daily posts on Instagram.  You can also answer the bonus question for an additional entry.  The giveaway for this particular prize bundle starts today, February 1, 2017 and ends February 2, 2017 at 12:00am midnight.  Open to all US residents age 18 and over.  Good Luck!

P.S. This giveaway is part of our #28daysofgiveaways for Black History Month which starts on February 1, 2017 and ends on February 28, 2017.  All month long on Instagram we’re hosting a daily giveaway.  The prizes have generously been donated by 30+ sponsors.  You can enter to win diverse books, children’s book subscription boxes, games, multicultural dolls and more!

 

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