It is a very interesting and fun show that I enjoy watching with my kids. I like that it is a show that is full of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts presented in an entertaining way. The show follows Anne, a young female scientist and her human friends, along with the android assistants she has created as they make amazing scientific discoveries while undertaking the biggest experiment of all: growing up!
Season 4 sheds light on the concept of a modern-day family, where “family” isn’t necessarily defined by blood relation, but rather by the people closest to you. In this season, Anne, Nick and Shania band together and use scientific approaches to solve myriad problems, including getting lost in the wilderness, dealing with a friend moving out-of-town, building a robot for competition, and defending the junkyard from a hostile takeover – which leads to an epic, action-packed season finale!
This is a series that challenges kids to think and not just mindlessly sit in front of the TV. My kids don’t watch much TV but when they do, I want it to be something that enriches their mind, and this show does just that! I hope you check it out and let me know what you think.
THREE NEW PBS KIDS DVDS OFFER SPOOK-TASTIC HALLOWEEN FUN
Each of these DVDs features a PBS KIDS series – CAILLOU, PEG + CAT, and WORDWORLD. From carving a jack-o’-lantern with Caillou to going on a trick-or-treating adventure with Peg and Cat, these DVDs include fun-filled laugh-out-loud stories full of Halloween excitement.
“CAILLOU: CAILLOU’S HALLOWEEN”
“CAILLOU’S HALLOWEEN” features 13 stories including “Caillou Loves Halloween,” “Pumpkin Patch Kid,” and “Caillou’s Halloween Costume.” In “Caillou’s Halloween Costume,” Caillou and Rosie are trying to pick out costumes as Halloween quickly approaches – but Caillou can’t decide what he wants to be. With help from Mommy and Daddy, a furry blue monster costume is created for Caillou so he can join Leo, a cowboy, and Clementine, a bumblebee, for trick-or-treating!
“PEG + CAT: A TOTALLY AWESOME HALLOWEEN”
Combine Halloween excitement with mathematical fun and you’ve got “PEG + CAT: A TOTALLY AWESOME HALLOWEEN.” This DVD features four adventures, two of which are Halloween themed – “The Parade Problem” and “The Halloween Problem.” In “The Parade Problem,” kids will learn about sorting and estimating as they watch Peg and Cat clean up a park to ensure the nursery school’s Halloween parade takes place. After watching Peg and Cat solve this problem, kids can join Peg, who dresses up as a mailbox, and Cat, who decides to be a fire hydrant, on a trick-or-treating adventure that features the duo using their math skills to divide up Halloween treats so that everyone gets a fair share.
The PEG + CAT series is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Education through the Ready To Learn Initiative, a program that supports the development of innovative educational television and digital media targeted at preschool and early elementary school children and their families, and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
“WORDWORLD: HALLOWEEN FUN”
In the frightfully fun DVD “WORDWORLD: HALLOWEEN FUN,” join the WordFriends on adventures that demonstrate the connections between letters, sounds, words, and meaning. This DVD features five stories including “A Kooky Spooky Halloween” and “Sheep’s Halloween Costume.” In “A Kooky Spooky Halloween,” Pig is so worried about finishing his Halloween bags, because he’s missing the letter B, that he ends up sleepwalking. As he sleepwalks, collecting Bs along the way, everyone thinks he’s a ghost!
About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for kids, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, digital platforms and community-based programs. Kidscreen- and Webby-award winning pbskids.org provides engaging interactive content, including digital games and streaming video. PBS KIDS also offers mobile apps to help support young children’s learning. The PBS KIDS Video App is available on a variety of mobile devices and on platforms such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Xbox One and Chromecast. For more information on specific PBS KIDS content supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit pbs.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook.
This app has added a new feature. Classic children’s fairytale titles are now available like The Princess and the Pea, Puss and Boots and more. Now with the free version you get just a snippet of the books and then you can purchase a pass for all of them or for an individual book. The books are beautifully illustrated and they app brings the stories to life in an engaging way that kids just love to see and they can also follow along with the text. This is such a fun App and kids love hearing and singing along with the familiar BINGO song. Kids can clap and sing along as they watch the letters appear in the cute farm scene with the adorable dog. There is an upgrade of the free version where kids can even record and play a karaoke session or just sing and clap along. There are mini games too that are fun like animal cards and kids can also make up and record their own stories. My little guy loves recording himself and playing it back.
This Alphabet Tracing and Math Puzzle Educational App is wonderful for teaching kids how to form letters and it is easy for them to trace the letters with their fingers. A very hands on app that will encourage them to form letters the right way and get them writing. Perfect for preschool and kindergarten age kids. Children can trace upper case letters of the alphabet with in purchase apps for expanded tracing. There are also fun mazes and rhyming games for kids and a purchase for an all access pass will give your child access to loads of great learning games.
Based on the Montessori learning method your child will develop and practice spelling, reading and writing skills while playing engaging games. Kids will practice writing their letters and their handwriting skills too! Kids love tracing dotted lines to learn how to form letters. The can form lower or upper case letters. There are fun mazes where they have to drag the dog’s bone to a word that rhymes with the word that the dog is thinking of as well as simpler mazes where they lead the dog to his prize. It is so cute and my little guy loves it! Kids are rated with 1, 2 or 3 stars for their performance.
They have updated this app and it is easy better it runs better and the graphics are more vibrant making them even more captivating to kids. The same games are there but the bright colors and clear graphics and animation make them even more fun. Great improvements on a stellar app. Kids will practice writing their letters and their handwriting skills with fun games and activities. Kids have a blast tracing dotted lines to learn how to form letters. I like that there are left and right hand modes, 2 levels of difficulty challenges kids.
Kids trace one letter with the dotted lines and then they try one that has no guiding lines right after. Before they are given the letter they hear the letter name and the picture of something that starts with that letter. You can choose to work on Upper or lower case letters. There are other games like the Alphabet and kids have so much interactive fun focused on a specific letter and learning vocabulary words that start with that letter along with fun graphics. Kids can trace numbers too and when they trace the number correctly they fill up a jar with fire flies. It is really fun and my little guy loves it! Kids are rated with 1, 2 or 3 stars for their performance. The free version can be upgraded to unlock more games and features.
Also be sure to visit Kids Academy on social media!
This post was created in partnership with Mom Buzz Media and Kids Academy. All opinions expressed are my own.
We used the microwave to melt the chicle gum base and when it was melted we added the corn syrup and tried to stir.
I say tried to because the stickiness really makes you add some serious muscle to the mix. after that you roll it in the confectioner’s sugar and then knead in one of the flavor packets. After that you roll it and cut it into pieces. The best part is last and you can taste your creation.
My kids thought it was fun and as a parent it was very educational like all their “make your own” kits. For parents, educators and home school the website has a lesson plan with resources to expand on and more. You can see more educational material HERE. We have also added Glee Gum Make Your Own Candy Kits to our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide.
Glee Gum is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings and one lucky winner will win their choice of Make Your Own Candy Kit! Thank you Glee Gum for the review kit and for sponsoring this sweet giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US Residents.
Glee Gum, Make Your Own Candy Kit Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!
My seven-year old is so interested in planets and the solar system and his little brother is full of questions about the size of the sun and which planets are hot or cold. I think it’s wonderful when I can find toys that let us expand on those topics with tactile objects that will let them really see and understand the world around them. Safari Ltd. has been a leader in producing “Toys that Teach” since 1982. Their mission is to teach children the importance of nature and conservation through the joy of imaginative play.
Safari Ltd® TOOBS® are collections of hand painted figures. There are so many collections to choose from like Ancient Rome, NYC, Sea Life, Babies, Dinosaurs, Ancient Egypt, Around The World, Coral Reef, Deep Sea Creatures, Butterflies, Arctic, Trains and so much more. TOOBS® are great to use for kids projects, for teaching, sharing, playing, collecting and so much more. TOOBS® are perfectly sized to make awesome stocking stuffers. My kids loved the Trains and NYC TOOBS® and I thought the babies TOOBS® were perfect for using in miniature scenes and especially in doll houses.
The Solar System Set from the Safariology® collection was a huge hit, my boys loved handling he planets and seeing where they were in relation to the sun and other planets. The tray has a cover that holds the planets in place when they are done so that everything stays right where it belongs.
This set includes 8 planets and the sun, all hand-painted for detail and accuracy using the latest information from astronomers. Also includes an acetate tray for display, and a blister card with educational information in English, Spanish, French, and German.
For when my guys go exploring the Safariology® Luminoculars have them covered. Made of durable ABS plastic with 3.5x magnification, a light beam that shines up to 100 feet, and a built-in compass. Now explorers can discover more, see farther away, and still find their way home! Luminoculars are available in translucent red, translucent blue, and camouflage.
You can find Safari Ltd® Toys on our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide!
Safari Ltd® is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win their choice of a regular TOOBS® set or one figure (subject to availability)! Thank you Safari Ltd® for the review products and for sponsoring this awesome giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.
Safari Ltd® Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!
Are you looking for gifts for the kids on your holiday gift list that are as much fun as they are educational? If so, you should check out Lakeshore Learning. They have a full inventory of educational and fun toys for all ages and many are on sale. You can view their Holiday Flyer and see for yourself the wide selection and great prices. Click HERE for a coupon that will save you 20% on any regularly priced item. There is also an additional coupon you can use in store and online on the back of the digital flyer!
We picked the Beginner’s Science Lab from the Holiday Flyer for our budding scientists.
The boys were thrilled to see the huge box filled with all kinds of science equipment and materials.
Building a volcano was the first project. It was very simple, there is a non-toxic paper mache mixture that you just add water to and mix with your hands. Then on some wax paper you mold into a volcano shape and form the opening. It must dry for a couple of days before you can have an eruption. Ours is drying but we will take a video and update this post in a couple of days.
Another great experiment, is the liquid layers, using pancake syrup, cooking oil and colored water, the boys observed how the colored water formed a ball that actually passed through the oil layer into the water layer. They thought that was really neat. We have some more experiments lined up for today and they are really looking forward to it.
We love this Beginner’s Science Lab so much we are adding it to our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide. Would you like a chance to win one? Great! Just enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!! Open to US Residents. Many thanks to Lakeshore Learning for the review kit and for this awesome giveaway!!!
Lakeshore Learning Beginner’s Science Lab Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings:
Sentosphere USA has been operating since 1995,
and has supplied hundreds of retailers throughout the US
with artistic and educational games, kits and toys.
My Perfume Maker is a classic among educational kits. Eight natural essences or fragrances from the world’s most beautiful sources allow children seven years or older to create more than 100 different “eau de toilette.”
If you are looking for a great gift idea for the little girls on your Holiday Gift List, you should check out My Perfume Maker by Sentosphere. This kit will delight girls who are creative and let them mix their own signature scents of perfume. It will bring out the scientist, inventor and of course please the princess in all of them. The kit is colorful and fun, full of natural essences and fragrances along with droppers that will allow them easily to add the right amount to the empty colorful bottles to create their own line of perfumes.
Mommy Ramblings is adding the Sentosphere My Perfume Maker to our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide.
Sentosphere is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky winner will win their own My Perfume Maker! Thank you to Sentosphere for the review kit and for sponsoring this great giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.
Sentosphere, My Perfume Maker Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!
My kids are fascinated by magnets and love creating things. MAGFORMERS gives them both in colorful construction sets that foster brain development through fun and educational exploration. With high quality, durable construction and intelligent magnetic design, the possibilities are endless! When we received this set, I’m not sure who was more excited to open it. My boys and both my husband and I were having a blast creating different structures and showing them off to each other. This is a toy my kids have come back to over and over and would also be wonderful in a classroom setting as well. Everything is quality and it’s a toy that can be handed down and still be going strong when the next generation arrives!