Rush Hour Jr: A fun Workout for young Minds!

If you're a parent, you know there are times where need something to keep your kids quietly occupied. For me, it's often when I need to make a phone call or help my oldest out with her schoolwork. It can be easy rely on technology. Coloring books and simple crafts sometimes work for our preschooler but it depends on the day. Thankfully I now have a new way to keep her busy and learning...and it requires no screens or electricity!

Recently Thinkfun sent us the kids version of the Traffic Jam Logic Game Rush Hour® to see what we thought of it.

Just like the classic version Rush Hour Jr. you need to shift 3D cars and trucks around on 'streets' in the correct sequence in order to help your ice cream truck escape the gridlock.

It's easier said than done!

Included in the game are 40 challenge cards, 15 vehicles, and the grid. 

To begin the player selects a card at the level of play they are working at (there are four levels from beginner to expert). 

The card will show how the vehicles need to be initially arranged on the grid. From here the player can begin sliding the vehicles forward or backwards to try and get the ice cream our of the traffic jam.  If you get stuck you can always refer to the solution on the other side of the card.

Both kids really enjoyed this game. To begin with I played it with our 4 year old as she had a little trouble setting up the board. As far as the game play, she really took off with it. It held her attention and was content to sit quietly and figure it out several cards at a time.

When our 8 year old managed to get a turn she thought it was 'pretty cool'. This is definitely not just a preschool game. The upper level cards are challenging for her and I think this Jr version of game will be fine for both of them for a good while. As for Grown-ups it gave my brain a good workout too. I would seriously look into adding the adult version to our board game collection as a family christmas gift too this year! I especially liked that is sturdy and the vehicles chunky enough for little hands to hold. The size of the base makes it extremely portable. A little cloth bag is included to carry the fun with you to pull out at restaurants or at the Doctor's waiting room.

You can find  Rush Hour Jr. at  Thinkfun's Online store! It would make a great gift for birthdays and other special occasions. Grandparents and Aunts might like to get one to keep at their place for when the little ones visit too! 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Speekee #SpanishforKids Giveaway & Review

The idea of teaching your kids to speak Spanish, when your entire knowledge of the language comes from Dora and Diego, is daunting.

Our eldest child (8.5 years) was fortunate enough to take Spanish through a Homeschool Co-op but since we moved from Texas, I have to admit it has been a struggle continuing without Ms. G.

I was thrilled to be offered the chance to review the online version of Speekee Spanish. We have checked out some of their DVDs from our local library so we are familiar with the fun videos and the cute characters: Speekee, Dino and Lupi.

Speekee Spanish for kids is an an online program design for children between the ages of 2 and 11 years. The program is has a total immersion approach meaning that the videos your kids will be watching are all in Spanish. The activities in the videos make it clear what the kids are saying however. There is also the option to turn on the english captioning so you can watch to see that your child is saying the correct words. 

The videos teach everyday words like parts of the body, food, colors and things that you might see at the park. For younger children Speekee has a Fast Track Program which gives you 40 weeks of Lesson plans and links to download free worksheets and flash cards.

For children over 7 years there is the Speekee Spanish Challenge. In this program Spanish is taught through over 40 videos and and game play. There is also the option to interact safely with other Speekee Members. As an added bonus Speekee tracks your child's progress and sends you reports by email.

When we first logged on, I have to admit I was a bit confused as to which track to take.  I settled on the Fast Track program so we could all do it together. It took a few videos for our 4.5 year old to get that the songs and dialogue were in Spanish. Once she understood this she got into the swing of it and began interacting more.  Try as I might our 8.5 year old just didn't want to engage with the program until she realized that little sister was picking up words she didn't know yet. I didn't push the issue and after a few days she was joining us in the lessons. She began to explore the Speekee Map too. 

Speekee Spanish makes learning Spanish simple and fun. A basic account is free so give it a try! Login and click on the gold bell and you will be given your first activity.

If you go to the bottom of the Speekee Homepage you can print some of the flash cards to try and view the Fast track lesson plans. I would recommend this program to all parents looking to teach their children spanish as a second (or third) language. 

A paid membership gives your children access to all of the videos, games and locations to explore and unlock.  Try out the free trial today and I'm sure you'll agree it is worth the affordable membership fee.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

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Affordable Eyeglasses for kids -Review and Giveaway

I received a JCPenney gift card for the purpose of this review. 

This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.

Last Summer our oldest daughter spent a lot of time with her nose in a Percy Jackson book. She was also complaining about the headaches she was getting from reading. A quick trip to the Optometrist determined that she needed reading glasses to support her developing eye muscles.

Fast forward to this year and Miss K was due for another checkup. My husband and I were a little concerned about the cost because we no longer have optical coverage on our health insurance policy.

Thankfully JCPenny Optical is offering an awesome Back to School promotion.

Get a Complete pair of Kids’ designer eyeglasses for $29.99!

The offer runs through Sept 15 2014 and includes: 

• Any kids frame up to $120
• FREE impact and 1scratch-resistant polycarbonate lenses
• FREE UV protection
• FREE eyeglass protection plan for any school-aged child 16 & under

This price does not include the price of an eye exam. Without Optical insurance, you will pay $40 for the exam. This half the amount several other Opticians in my area had quoted me when I called around. If you have Optical coverage then check with your local JCPenny Optical, to see if you have one of the thousand of plans, they accept.

As far as the exam went I only have positive things to say! Dr W is clearly very experienced with kids' eye exams. He was very encouraging and made Miss K feel at ease right away. I hadn't intended on having our 4-year-old checked, but Dr W took the time to examine her eyes too. Mini Piwi was super excited to get to sit in the 'astronaut seat' just like her big sis!

After the exam, the kids were itching to try on frames! Mini Piwi didn't need glasses this year, but she wanted to try on a pair (or five). Miss K eventually found the 'perfect' pair.

If your children need some new glasses then remember to take advantage of this promotion before September 15. You can your nearest JCPenny Optical branch near you with their store locator.

Now onto the giveaway! Thanks to JCPenny one lucky reader will win $30 JCPenny gift card. Simply enter on the Giveaway too below.

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I received a JCPenney gift card for the purpose of this review. 

This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.

Restaurant.com Mothers' Day Gift Ideas and Sweepstakes!

I received a Restaurant.com gift card for the purpose of this review. This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own. 

If you are looking for a great gift for Mother’s Day then Restaurant.com has you covered. Restaurant.com is the USA’s largest dining deals site. It has been a trusted source for connecting diners with dining experiences since 1999. The deals are easy to use – present the certificate to your server on your phone, or print out a copy and the savings will be deducted from your final bill!

This Mother’s day Restuarant.com has handpicked some special gift packages to suit your budget and the uniqueness of your Mom.

Here are just three examples from their exclusive gift guide:

• For the Mom or Grandma who is a ‘Blooming Role Model’ pair a Restaurant.com gift card with a bunch of bright flowers to say Happy Mothers Day.

• For the 'Spa loving Mama' surprise her with at home spa treatment and then lunch using her Resturant.com card.

• If Mom could use some 'me time', pair a restaurant.com gift card with a bottle of her favorite wine.

As an added bonus you can also enter the 

“What Mom Means To You”  Pinterest sweepstakes! 

One of five (5) winners will be randomly selected to win a $500 Mom’s Night out Package! 

Closes Sunday May 11

Sweepstakes Giveaway Details: http://rst.cm/w8w64 

You can also follow Restaurant.com on Twitter , Facebook,  Google+ , The Dish 

I received a Restaurant.com gift card for the purpose of this review. This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own. 

MagicBlox Online Kids library: Read Great Books for Free!

This is a Sponsored Post. I received compensation in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own

I would love for my children to have a vast home library! Like most families, however, purchasing and storing hundreds of books is out of the question. We use the local libraries, but are never able to visit as often as we would like.

Recently I was introduced to a kids book library that you can 'visit' at any time of the day or night! Magicblox.com is an online children's library that features over 600 titles for ages 1-13 years. Every week new books are being added by Authors and Publishers from all over the world.

The cost is as exciting as the variety of fiction and non fiction titles!  Read one new book each month for free!  Upgrade to unlimited family access for less than $4 a month.

The site is bright, fun and easy to navigate. All of the books can be previewed on the homepage. Browse by Reading level or Subject. Looking for a less traditional story time? Search by feature such as Narration or Music. Many titles are also offered in a bilingual format so they can be also read in Spanish, Italian, and French.

Once you have selected your title, click on it to launch the book reader. If it is not yet on your reading list you are able to preview several pages before deciding if that is going to be your book selection for the month.

The first book we selected was 'The Tangle Fairy' by Seema Barker. The illustrations by Kirsten Richards are as cute and colorful as they would be in a physical book. My daughters loved how the reader made it look and sound like the page in the book was actually turning! Currently we use MagicBlox on our PC. I was excited to hear that there is a MagicBlox app coming soon for iOs and Android Devices.

Magicblox fits our need for a low cost and portable way to access kids book. An added bonus is the
chance to discover books we may not see in our local library!
Along with Traditional publishers Magicblox works with authors and independent publishers from all over the world. Every book is reviewed and categorized before it is uploaded to the library so you can be sure your children will be reading quality books.

Visit MagicBlox childrens' library to view all the great titles and register for your free membership today!

Be sure to tell your friends and earn a free month of full access (see site for details).

Disclosure: I received compensation in exchange for writing this review. Although the post is sponsored, all opinions are my own.

Green your school year giveaway!

Welcome to the Green Your School Year Giveaway Hop, hosted by Happy Mothering and Brittleby's Corner together with the Green Moms Network!

Learning and Growing the Piwi Way is excited to be giving one lucky reader a $30 gift card to spend on Eco friendly school supplies at Dwell Smart.com.

Here are some of our favorite thing from Dwell Smart!

Terracyle 'upcycles' single use packaging into great products such as Bags, Messenger bags and  pencil cases....this is Miss K's pick for this year!

I also love school supplies made from recycled products like these colored pencils and these Banana Fiber Notebooks.

After entering my giveaway, be sure to visit the other blogs listed under the Rafflecopter form for your chance to win more great giveaways. And don't forget to enter the grand prize giveaways! Happy Mothering is featuring an awesome prize package for girls and Brittleby's Corner is featuring a prize package for boys! Both packages are generously sponsored by Mighty Nest, Planet Shoes, Kickee Pants, TruKid and TreeSmart!




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Fur & Feathers Animal Rescue Board Game Giveway!

This post does not contain affiliate links.

Welcome to the 2nd Annual Made in the USA Giveaway Hop, hosted by Happy Mothering and The Pistachio Project together with the Green Moms Network! We are excited to bring you awesome prizes that are Made in the USA and valued at $25+ to help you celebrate Independence Day!. After entering my giveaway, be sure to visit the other blogs listed under the Rafflecopter form for your chance to win more great giveaways.

If you are looking for a new Board game for your Animal loving Family (or Classroom) you will love Fur and Feathers!

#Made in the USA by Animal Matters, the Fur and Feathers Board game is a fun way to test your Animal knowledge and learn more about how our decisions can affect their lives. Up to 6 players can compete to be the fastest to rescue and adopt 5 different animals. An alternative non reading version of play can also be used with Preschoolers. Fur and Feathers teaches Compassion and Cooperation along with early Math, Reading and Strategy.



About the Giveaway!

One lucky winner will receive a copy of Fur and Feathers and a copy of the ABC Picture book 'Animals have feelings too!' during the Made in USA giveaway! Please enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Good Luck!

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Giveaway: Slushy Magic Prize pack (Princess, Avengers + $15 GC) #savorysummer

We are so excited to be part of the 2013 Savory Summer Giveaway hosted by Measuring flower. This hop includes a bunch of Summer loving bloggers who are all giving away food and food related giveways. Check out the bottom of this post for a list of all the blogs you can hop to for a chance to win some great stuff! Don't forget to check out the Grand Prizes too from Calphalon and Volcano Grills!

Here in Texas Summer is well and truly here! One of the signs of Summer in Texas are the long lines at Sonic to get a Slush! While the kids occasionally get a store-bought slush as a treat, we tend to make our own.

If you haven't seen the commercial on TV yet...Slushy Magic is a cup and a set of reusable 'Magic ice cubes'. Simply pour your child's favorite drink into the cup and add the cubes. Shake the sealed cup for a minute and 'Hey presto' you have a Slushy. Yes it really works!

We are giving away a Slushy Magic Gift pack. One lucky Winner will receive 2 Slushy magic sets (one Disney Princess and one Avengers) and for all your favorite drinks to turn into slush: a $15 Target Gift card. The Retail value of this package is $45.

Terms and Conditions: Please use the Rafflecopter widget to enter. The giveaway is open to US residents only. One winner will be randomly drawn within 48 hours of the giveaway ending. The winner will then have 48 hours to respond. If they do not respond within this timeframe, a new draw will take place to find a new winner. 
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Disclosure:  I did not receive any compensation for this post, all opinions are my own. This post does not contain affiliate links. Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Google have in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered this giveaway. Our host (MeasuringFlower.com), its authors, Learning and Growing the Piwi Way, and its authors are not responsible for sponsors or other bloggers who do not fulfill their prizes.