09
May

Spring Allergies Are Here; Allegra to the Rescue {Giveaway}

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I was lucky enough in my 20′s to develop seasonal allergies after finally realizing my symptoms were not indicitave of a month-long cold. Since that time, I haven’t really been loyal to one particular brand of allergy medicine. Buying on sale at CVS or whatever happened to be at Sam’s Club, I’ve not had very good control over my allergies. But now that my four year old son has had a runny nose for weeks, I not only have to make an appointment to have him tested but have become more serious about researching medications. In the midst of trying to decipher one brand from another, I was introduced to Allegra and have finally chosen one to stick with for good.

A colleague recently told me his “doctor recommended Allegra because it was even approved for pilots.” I planned to Snopes the fact when, doing research for this post, I found this on the Allegra website:

The FAA has, under special conditions, medically qualified pilots and air traffic controllers who are using Allegra.* Allegra is also approved for use by pilots in the US Air Force and the US Army.†

I began taking Allegra Allergy (not to be confused with Allegra D which also relieves congestion and sinus pressure) hoping for relief from itchy eyes, nose and throat. Not only does it seem to work so far, Allegra works for 24 hours which makes me happy. One pill in the morning, and I’m good to go! I was curious about the difference between Allegra and other allergy relief medicines, so this graphic was helpful:

Allegra begins working within an hour, lasts for 24-hours and is non-drowsy. What more can an allergy sufferer ask for aside from not having them in the first place? For children the Allegra website offers information and resources such as how to detect children’s allergies, tips for reducing symptoms and more.

Cool Tip

Follow Allegra on Faceook and Twitter for the latest updates and offers and sign up on their website to save with Allegra coupons for both adult and children’s allergy relief medicines.

Cool Giveaway

Enter to win a ”Have it All Spring Allergy Kit” complete with Allegra samples and a mini frisbee golf set so you can enjoy spending time outside with your family allergy symptom-free.

Determine to win? Check out even more entry possibilities. Contest ends 5/23/12.

Samples were provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% my own.

Filed Under: Adults Only, Deals, Discounts, Toddler & Preschooler · Tagged With: ,
03
May

New Jake and the Neverland Pirates Pays Tribute to Mama

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Cool Tip

Set your DVRs for ”Mama Hook Knows Best!” on Jake and the Neverland Pirates when Captain Hook’s mother comes to pay her son a visit, finding out that Hook has been stealing treasure from Jake and his crew and teaching him a lesson about sharing. This episode of Disney Junior’s “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” airs Saturday, May 12 (8:30-9:00 a.m., ET/PT) on the new 24-hour Disney Junior channel.

Filed Under: Disney, Family Activities, Featured, Toddler & Preschooler · Tagged With: , ,
24
Apr

Go Anywhere with One Step Ahead {Giveaway}

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I can’t remember how I was first introduced to One Step Ahead, but I’ve been a fan since my first daughter was born and have ordered (and been happy with) coutless products from them. Recently I had a chance to check out the Kids Anywhere Folding Chair which has already become an invaluable part of our on-the-go repotrie. It’s simple to open and close and provides good support (even with a four year old rocking in it.) For baseball games, beach or even at home it’s perfectly sized for youngsters and can even be carried as a backpack. Though we haven’t used the built-in pouch, this addition is an attractive feature for compact convienence.

 Another innovative product from family favorite One Step Ahead, other top picks we’ve personally tested out include:

A few tips when ordering from One Step Ahead. Take advantage of their Refer a Friend program where you earn $10 when a referral makes their first purchase. Plus, they receive 15% on their order over $85.  They are also having a Spring Warehouse Sale this week with items up to 60% off. Finally, if you’re a Pinner, check out their Pin It to Win It contest with  5 winners receiving a product of their choice and a $100 One Step Ahead credit bonus prize. 

Cool Tip

Enter to win a Kids Anywhere Folding Chair from One Step Ahead by commenting on this post with where you’re likely use it the most. For extra entries (leave a seperate comment for each):

Determine to win? Check out even more entry possibilities. Contest ends 4/24/12.

A sample  was provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% our own.

Filed Under: Giveaways Galore, Toddler & Preschooler · Tagged With: , , ,
18
Apr

New Top Pick: Bigjigs Wooden Playsets & Railway *Contest*

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With two preschoolers and a review blog since 2007, that I’ve tested and spotlighted a nunber of toys is a bit of an understatement. Every once in a while something blows me away and stands out from the crowd. Such as the case with the Bigjigs King Arthur’s Castle playset (pictured). We put it together quickly; the process was fairly simple with the exception of one piece which still hanging out with the knights, horses and Merlin included with the set.

Explaining the castle to a friend, I said simply, “It’s just made really well.” Obvious quality construction and materials, the wooden playset, like other Bigjigs products such as their wooden puzzles and Bigjigs Rail train set, will withstand busy fingers and hard play from our preschoolers. No cheap plastic here!

I always like a “shop by age” feature when looking for gifts since I may be looking outside my kids age ranges or have a hard time remembering exatly what they were into at a certain stage. For a special gift or maybe one from a grandparet, the Rail Name Collection offers personalized letter rails to spell a child’s name or evena  ”Happy Birthday” message. This personalized collection and the wooden playsets like our or the cottage, barn, glacier or others are my top Bigjigs picks.

 

 

Cool Tip

Enter to win a Bigjigs Fairytale Train set on their Facebook page! Be sure to follow them on Twitter and Pinterest as well to stay up to date.

Product samples were provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% my own.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Toddler & Preschooler, Top Picks · Tagged With: , ,
17
Apr

“Sight Words” Preschool Birthday Theme

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As a former member of the Luke Skywlaker fan club, I desperately want my children (son especially) to also be fans. Yes, the gender stereotyping is appaling and girls can love Star Wars too as evidenced by the fact that I saw Return of the Jedi over ten times in the movie theater. But my daughter is too busy with Disney Princesses for another love in her life at the moment. However, a talking Yoda for Valentine’s Day, fighter pods for birthday and action figures for Easter don’t seem to be doing the trick. Star Wars, shmar wars…he wanted a “Sight Words” birthday party.

What, you may be asking, is a Sight Words birthday party? Join the club. I searched online for “Sight Words birthday party theme” and “Sight Words party decorations,” yet, to my great surprise, the search yielded nothing. Not the crafty sort, I kept it simple with “Sight Words” cupcakes for school and a cake from Sarah’s Specialty Sweets for his party. (Her cakes are all this phenomonal, but good luck in you live in NEPA trying to book her for an event! I do it a year in advance.) Ithe purchased a white tablecloth at Christmas Tree Shop, two fabric markers at Michael’s and let him go at it after givingm him a list of preschool dolche sight words.

I printed and laminated additional sight words, using some on streamers and others I stuck them randomly around my mother’s house giving her a mild heart attack. Why my Sight Words boy wanted his party at Nonnie’s house is another blog post. Voila!  A “Sight Words Birthday Party” and word-lover’s dream. To walk admist sight words, sounding them out pointing out disgraphs is a very normal activity for a four year old birthday boy. Right?

My the force be with you if you too a sight words party enjoy.

Cool Tip

Follow Cool Baby Kid’s Birthday Party Ideas Pinterest board for more party inspiration.

Filed Under: Family Activities, Pinterest, Toddler & Preschooler · Tagged With: , ,
17
Apr

Toy Craze Prediction: Pinypon {plus coupon}

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Our friends across the pond are familiar with Pinypon, and now American girls will be delighted with a world that includes mermaids, travellers and sweethearts. Mini dolls (this is a great starter set) who swap clothes and accessories invite endless possibilities. I like how easily they snap on and off, making it simple to mix and match. My five year old daughter loves mini-toys and bright, colorful Pinypons were an instant hit. The Caravan is as adorable as it gets. Opening up to a swimming pool complete with surf board, lounge chair and more, it also comes with a Pinypon girl and pet making a perfect gift since the line is fairly new in the US. Total immersion into the world on Pinypon can be accomplished with a visit to their website which includes games, puzzles and printables like the one pictured here. 

Pinyponm is available at Toys R’ Us exclusivly both in stories and online. Keep up with the world of Pinypon by following them on the following social medis sites:

Cool Tip

Use one of two current Pinypon coupons like the one below or buy two get one free.

Sample products were provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% my own.

Filed Under: Featured, Picks & Tips, Toddler & Preschooler, Top Picks · Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
03
Apr

Pretend Play Paradise at Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia

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Roadside Attractions

We recently had the opportunity to visit the Please Touch Museum, The Children’s Museum of Philadelphia. The first museum in the nation designed for children ages seven and under, it’s “learning through play” philosophy is evident throughout the 156,000 square foot of space it occupies in Memorial Hall, a grand building and new home of Please Touch since 2008. Founded in 1976′ it now houses six exhibit zones in addition to the restored Woodside Park Dentzel Carousel dating back to 1908.

We started our day in River Adventures where the kids donned water-resistant smocks and played in an elaborate water table exhibit racing boats, rubber ducks and getting their hands wet. Next door in Rainforest Rhythm our preschoolers ran from one instrument to the next, likely amazed we were letting them touch everything in sight. A ride on the carousel and quick bite at the Please Taste Cafe, and we were ready to roll.

Woodside Park Dentzel Carousel

Heading downstairs to two of our favorite exhibit spaces, Wonderland and City Capers, the kids we’re already asking to come back. A maze of hedges, mirrors, maxing flowers and a Mad Hatter Tea Party invited parents to chase their children a la Alice in Wonderland. As with many exhibits, a special area designed for tots three and under allowed the little ones to explore their separate areas. The biggest hit of the day and area whre we spent the most time, City Capers, was in itself worth the two hour trip. A pretend play paradise, we snapped pictures of out little doctors giving X-rays, construction workers building a wall and fast food workers ringingly burgers. Replacing “don’t touch” and “put that back” with “here’s your cart” and “what else are you going to buy?” in a mini-grocery store made me promise myself to start saving old grocery boxes so we could play at home too. We made the day trip to Please Touch with another family, and as we roamed from exhibit to exhibit the kids could not have been having more fun.

A brand new exhibit, Railway Play, sponsored by Century Foundation, is the first new permanent exhibit at the Museum since moving to Memorial Hall in 2008. Celebrating the 1876 World’s Fair in Phaldelphia, this rail-themed space is a child train lovers paradise. My son enjoyed ringing the train bell and shoveling “coal” as he mostly ignored my mini-lesson on fossil fuels. Rounding out our day was a visit to Roadside Attractions. With a real bus, mini-tram and cars galore, our little drivers had the time of their lives getting behind the wheel.

If ony we lived closer to take advantage of special events such as the Storybook Ball on April 21st or even for an extra special kids’ birthday party. If you do plan a visit with your preschoolers (highly recommended!) check out these visiting tips.

 
Cool Tip:

Follow Please Touch Museum on Twitter and Facebook for updates, special events and more.

Filed Under: Cool Opps, Education Corner, Toddler & Preschooler · Tagged With: , ,
02
Apr

Nintendo DS Debuts in Our House with Silverlicious

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For my son’s 4th birthday we bought him a Nintendo DS. Silverlicious, based on the book written and illustrated by Victoria Kann as part of the Pinkalicious series, may seem like an odd choice for a first game for a boy, but not ours. With a big sister, this is the same little guy whose favorite of his four blankie’s is “pink” and who wants to dress up as “Izzy” rather than “Jake” at the Pirate’s League in Disney World this summer.

He loves both the DS and GameMill Entertainment’s Silverlicious™ which follows the story about a young girl, Pinkalicious, who lost her sweet tooth. After learning how to navigate the controls, he began weaving his way through various colorful screens helping her find a sweet tooth. Jumping and sliding, collecting hearts and unlocking treasures, just like the book DS users learn sweetness comes as much from within as it does from pink cupcakes.

I was amazed at how quickly he and his sister figured out the controls and learned to use both hands, as opposed to one with the iPad, to both run and jump to flick Pinkalicious’ magic wand.  The game promises to introduce fun friends such as the Easter bunny and holiday-themed neighborhoods along the way. While we haven’t made it that far, it’s definitely a great first choice to introduce DS to a family who love both Pinkalicious and all things pink a frilly.

The game is rated “E” for everyone and would make a great addition to an Easter basket!

Cool Giveaway

Enter to win Silverlicious for Nintendo DS by commenting on this post. For extra entries (leave a seperate comment for each):

Check out even more entry possibilities if you’re really determined to win. Read the prize claim information; we announce winners on Prizey.net. Contest ends 4/16/12.

A sample  was provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% our own.

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