This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways.
Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up 1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please) 2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to your giveaways as well!) 3. Take a moment to enter any giveaway that strikes an interest to you! If you would like to follow the hostesses, we will gladly follow you back! Simply leave us a message to do so.
Welcome to the Apple Watch and Hydra Skin Sciences Giveaway! We have an awesome prize pack for you to win this holiday season!
Sometimes don’t we all wish we can just turn back time? Keeping up with day to day activities and responsibilities takes a heavy toll and you blink your eyes and ten years have simply disappeared -- just like that!
In its place are fine lines, wrinkles, and even a few gray hairs peeking out. There is no magical way to completely stop the aging process and stay 21 forever and that is okay. Embrace who you are and your accomplishments. Growing older is a beautiful process, but I bet if you knew you could reverse the signs of aging without surgery or injections…you would be anxious to learn more…
Hydra Skin Sciences combines the simultaneous action of Snow Algae Powder, six powerful peptides (including Matrixyl 3000, Argireline and Syn-Ake), Vitamin C, with the ultimate moisturizer Hyaluronic Acid. The unique combination of Hyaluronic Acid and Snow Algae Powder gives maximum absorption of vital nutrients into the deepest layers of your skin.
Restore your youthful appearance, dramatically reduce the appearance of wrinkles and tighten sagging skin and magically turn back time!First, Hydra Skin Sciences offers Allegro, a powerful new anti-aging cream developed by a team of expert scientists at some of the most prestigious laboratories in the world. This specially formulated cream helps rapidly reduce the fine lines and wrinkles that are just part of getting older.
Results that had once only been possible with cosmetic surgery or painful injections is now available over-the-counter at a remarkably affordable price.Hydra Skin Sciences also offers Brio, an anti-aging serum for daytime and nighttime use, that has been described as a “face-lift in a box”. If you want radiant, glowing skin for life, Allegro Anti-aging Cream and Brio Day & Night Serum, is the closest to the fountain of youth as you are likely going to get!
Hydra Skin Sciences has sponsored this awesome giveaway! One lucky winner will receive the Brio Day & Night Serum, the Allegro AntiAging Cream AND an Apple Watch sport! Total Prize package is valued at over $550!
Good Luck!Share this Giveaway with your friends and use hashtag #TurnBackTheClock
I received a Doozers Giant Gingerbread House DVD & kit for review. All opinions are my own.
Do you remember those adorable little creatures from Fraggle Rock called the Doozers? They have their own animated series on Hulu! Just in time for the holidays, the Jim Henson company and NCircle Entertainment have released some of these episodes on DVD: Doozers: Giant Gingerbread House.
Welcome to Doozer Creek where the Doozers live! They're green. They're
cute. They're three inches tall and they're full of energy, ideas, and
enthusiasm! It's family time at Doozer Creek! The Pod Squad want to
build a Doozer-sized Gingerbread House! However, in order to achieve
such a large size Gingerbread House it's going to take some clever
construction to create. Can the Pod Squad do it? Then, Daisy Wheel wants
to ice skate with the others, but she doesn't know how. Together, the
Pod Squad build her a custom Doo-Step Skating Dress that lets her glide
across the ice in no time. Weee! Enjoy these adventures and six more
focusing on science, technology, engineering and math!
We recently participated in a viewing party where we made our own gingerbread house, read Doozers: Stick With It, and then watched the DVD. It was a great #DoozersParty weekend!
It's been a while since we've made a gingerbread house, but we had so much fun! AK and her daddy did most of the construction and I helped with the decorating while little sister AB watched. The candy was our favorite part (we munched while we decorated!).
Our gingerbread house turned out great! This was the perfect way to get us in the holiday spirit as we enjoyed making a new holiday tradition and watching the Doozers.
This is a fun holiday themed DVD your family can enjoy together!
Check out Doozers on Hulu and find some fun activities and games at http://doozers.com/.
Giveaway:
One reader will win Doozers and the Giant Gingerbread House on DVD
Just use the Giveaway Tools form below. You must be a US resident 18 or older to
enter.You must complete each task entirely or your entries will not count. This giveaway is not in any way associated with or endorsed by Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or Twitter. Giveaway Ends 12/8/15 at 12 NoonEST. US Residents **18 and older**
only may enter. One entry per household and IP address. Winner will be
drawn using random.org and will have **48 hrs** to respond to email or
another winner will be chosen. Entries are verified. No purchase
necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The number of eligible entries
received determines the odds of winning. The Attic Girl is not responsible/liable for prize delivery. By entering this giveaway, you agree to the Giveaway terms/rules.
Disclosure:
I received a Doozers DVD & kit for review. No
other compensation was received and all opinions are my own. Sponsor is providing the giveaway prize. For more info. see my Disclosure
Policy.
This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways.
Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up 1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please) 2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to your giveaways as well!) 3. Take a moment to enter any giveaway that strikes an interest to you! If you would like to follow the hostesses, we will gladly follow you back! Simply leave us a message to do so.
I received Suffragette promotional materials for sharing this info. All opinions are my own.
Thanksgiving. It's a time to spend with family and friends and reflect on all of the blessings in our lives throughout the year.
One of the blessings we may take for granted is our right as women to vote in our country. It's such a simple thing really. Something we don't really think about growing up in our generation.
There are still many women around the globe who do not have equal rights. I am thankful that I have the right to live where I choose, dress as I choose, marry who I love, and choose to stay at home with my two girls. I can't imagine a life without those choices.
To celebrate the upcoming film Suffrage this Thanksgiving, Focus Features is bringing awareness of the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote in 1919 with the "19 Days of of Suffrage" initiative.
(l-r.) Violet Miller (Anne-Marie Duff) and
Maud Watts (Carey Mulligan) campaign for women’s voting rights in director
Sarah Gavron’s SUFFRAGETTE, a Focus Features release. Credit: Steffan
Hill / Focus Features
Academy
Award nominees Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham Carter, and
three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep, lead the cast of a
powerful drama about the women who were willing to lose everything in
their fight for equality in early-20th-century Britain.
Carey Mulligan stars as Maud Watts in
director Sarah Gavron’s SUFFRAGETTE, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Steffan Hill / Focus Features
The stirring
story centers on Maud (played by Carey Mulligan), a working wife and
mother whose life is forever changed when she is secretly recruited to
join the U.K.’s growing suffragette movement.
Galvanized by the outlaw fugitive Emmeline Pankhurst (Meryl Streep),
Maud becomes an activist for the cause alongside women from all walks
of life.
Carey Mulligan stars as Maud Watts in
director Sarah Gavron’s SUFFRAGETTE, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Steffan Hill / Focus Features
When increasingly aggressive police action forces Maud and her
dedicated fellow suffragettes underground,
they engage in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with the authorities,
who are shocked as the women’s civil disobedience escalates and sparks
debate across the nation. Inspired by true events, “Suffragette”
is a moving drama exploring the passion and heartbreak of those who
risked all they had for women’s right to vote – their jobs, their
homes, their children, and even their lives.
Carey Mulligan (left) stars as Maud Watts and Anne-Marie Duff (right) stars as Violet Miller in director Sarah Gavron’s SUFFRAGETTE, a Focus Features release. Credit: Steffan Hill / Focus Features
I am excited to learn more about the brave women who fought for women's rights during this time period through this movie. I am fascinated with history and think it's very important to know where we have come from and how we can improve for future generations.
Giveaway: One winner will receive a promotional pack for the Suffragette movie including a bracelet, journal, tote bag, and mini poster
Just use the Giveaway Tools form below. You must be a US resident 18 or older to
enter.You must complete each task entirely or your entries will not count. This giveaway is not in any way associated with or endorsed by Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or Twitter. Giveaway Ends 12/7/15 at 1PMEST. US Residents **18 and older**
only may enter. One entry per household and IP address. Winner will be
drawn using random.org and will have **48 hrs** to respond to email or
another winner will be chosen. Entries are verified. No purchase
necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The number of eligible entries
received determines the odds of winning. The Attic Girl is not responsible/liable for prize delivery. By entering this giveaway, you agree to the Giveaway terms/rules.
Disclosure:
I received a Suffragette prize pack for sharing this info with my readers. No
other compensation was received and all opinions are my own. Sponsor is providing the giveaway prize. For more info. see my Disclosure
Policy.
Put Me In The Story,
the #1 personalized books site in the U.S., has hundreds of
personalized books and gifts for newborns, kids, and even grown-ups!
With a diverse selection of personalized story books, activity books,
adult coloring books, adorable plush and more, Put Me In The Story is a
fantastic spot to find personalized gifts that become beloved keepsakes.
As a huge thank you to their customers, Put Me In The Story is hosting SANTA’S BAG SWEEPSTAKES,
just in time for Christmas! Now through December 8, enter each day for a
chance to win the grand prize in Santa’s bag of goodies.
Santa’s Bag Grand Prize Includes:
·One $750 Visa Gift Card for your holiday shopping!
Open
to US & Canada only. Must be 18 or older to enter. Sweepstakes ends
12/8/2015 at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be contacted on or around
12/9/2015.
Personalized gifts can make your child's holiday even more special, especially a book that not only has their name in it, but is part of the actual story!
Here are some great selections from Put Me In The Story this holiday season:
It’s
the night before Christmas and Father Mouse is stirring in YOUR house
to the sound of Santa Claus and eight tiny reindeer! Cozy up as Father
Mouse shares his story of what happens next. You’ll get a peek at Santa
and a glimpse of your gifts under the tree, too. With illustrations that
began as original ink drawings, this new spin on a classic Christmas
tale is sure to be a hit for the holidays!
Personalize ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas
with a name, picture, and cheerful dedication message to welcome this
Christmas season with a new holiday tradition for the entire family.
Your little “deer” will always know how dear they are to your heart with this special personalized book!
Families
will love snuggling up together to read this adorable, personalized
book that shows your little one just how special they are. Cute, holiday
illustrations and sweet messages of love will have everyone smiling in
good cheer!
Show your little star how bright they shine with Sandra Magsamen’s Our Little Deer—personalized
with your child’s name and photo, and a special dedication page with a
message from you! Share a whole lot of love with your little “deer” this
holiday season and all the way through the years ahead!
Mom’s
Choice Gold Award Winner! Your child will light up with joy when they
see their name woven into the story with Santa and his elves! Give the
gift of a personalized storybook this year by turning your son or
daughter into the star of this exciting new holiday classic that soars
through Santa’s journey as he delivers presents.
Personalize the story with your child’s name and create a special dedication page with a photo and message from you.
Follow Put Me In The Story for the latest updates:
I received a Moodster Mirror for review. This post contains affiliate links.
As a brand ambassador for The Moodsters, I love helping spread the
word about the importance of helping children develop emotional
intelligence (EQ) skills.
The Moodsters are five fun, funny, and wise
little “feelings detectives”; their detective tools (otherwise known as
toys!) teach kids about emotions. This month I’m pleased to present a
guest post from Moodsters creator Denise Daniels—followed by a giveaway
of the Moodster Mirror! First, here’s Denise:
One of the
things I love about watching children is how unself-conscious they
are—their faces are wide open to every feeling they experience, from joy
to tragedy and back again! Yet children themselves often have no idea
that what they’re feeling on the inside is reflected in facial
expressions on the outside. Making that connection is the beginning of
emotional intelligence, or EQ. Emotional intelligence is the process by
which children learn to recognize, understand and manage their emotions.
Decades of research shows that children who learn EQ
skills are more likely to do well in all aspects of life—socially,
academically, physically, psychologically. And that’s where our colorful
little detectives, The Moodsters, come in! Through humor,
entertainment, and play, The Moodsters teach children the fundamentals
of feelings, setting them on the road to emotional intelligence.
Our
curriculum was created along with Marc Brackett, Ph.D., Director of
Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence, using his “RULER method” to
teach children the five components of emotional intelligence:
Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating
emotions.
The first of these skills is to learn to recognize emotions. So I
created the Moodster Mirror, which allows children to see what their own
emotions “look like” on their faces, and to help them recognize the
emotions of others—the key to empathy. See more information below about
how the Moodster Mirror, and prepare to have plenty of fun and lots of
enlightening conversations with your child about the fascinating world
of feelings!
—Denise Daniels, Creator of The Moodsters
My preschooler loves reading the Moodsters Storybooks with me. The Moodster Mirror is a fun toy to go along with the story about being kind.
As soon as she picked up that mirror, the giggles started. She made lots of faces in the mirror.
We talked about how our face shows what we are feeling and how that can affect others. Sometimes we don't even realize what our faces are telling people. AK enjoyed making different faces in the mirror with each character prompt. Her baby sister enjoyed it too.
Both of my girls love the Moodsters and look forward to seeing what new toy will be coming next. (we can't wait for the app!)
Where to Buy:
Enter to win The Moodster Mirror
The Moodster Mirror helps children make the connection
between feelings on the inside and facial expressions on the outside.
Kids make a happy, sad, angry, scared, or loving face into the Moodster
Mirror, and they are able to see what these feelings look like on the
outside. By turning the dial, kids select the matching Moodster to hear
the character’s wisdom about that particular feeling, which helps kids
recognize their feelings and non-verbal cues. Includes full-color, 32
page storybook, “A Time to be Kind”. Ages 3+
Giveaway:
One reader will win a Moodster Mirror & storybook
Just use the Giveaway Tools form below. You must be a US resident 18 or older to
enter.You must complete each task entirely or your entries will not count. This giveaway is not in any way associated with or endorsed by Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or Twitter. Giveaway Ends 12/2/15 at NOONEST. US Residents **18 and older**
only may enter. One entry per household and IP address. Winner will be
drawn using random.org and will have **48 hrs** to respond to email or
another winner will be chosen. Entries are verified. No purchase
necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The number of eligible entries
received determines the odds of winning. The Attic Girl is not responsible/liable for prize delivery. By entering this giveaway, you agree to the Giveaway terms/rules.
Disclosure:
I received a Moodsters Mirror & storybook for review purposes as The Moodsters Brand Ambassador. No
other compensation was received and all opinions are my own. Sponsor is providing the giveaway prize. For more info. see my Disclosure
Policy.
Thank you to Edify Media for giving me a review copy of When Calls the Heart: Follow Your Heart. This post contains affiliate links.
I am a
huge fan of the series When Calls the Heart and love being part of a
group called #Hearties. It's a wonderful family-friendly show from
executive producer Michael Landon Jr that keeps getting better and
better!
In case you need to catch up on Season 2, here are the DVD's in order:
When Calls the Heart: Follow Your Heart is now available on DVD. Synopsis:
From celebrated
author Janette Oke (The Love Comes Softly series) comes a rigorous and romantic
adventure as epic as the wide frontier. Erin Krakow (Army Wives), Daniel Lissing
(Eye Candy), Jack Wagner (Melrose Place) and Lori Loughlin (Full House, 90210)
star in When Calls The Heart, “a beautiful story with roots in relationships,
self-empowerment, and the enduring power of love” (Common Sense Media).
While Jack and Elizabeth’s relationship has cooled following their
arguments in Hamilton, Jack is hot on the trail of a counterfeiter right
in Hope Valley! When he finds the culprit, a two-fisted brawl ensues as
Jack apprehends the man. Seeing Jack in danger prompts Elizabeth to
confront her feelings and seek him out… but she inadvertently sets Rip,
Jack’s dog, loose at the same time. As a violent storm bears down on
Hope Valley, Jack and Elizabeth search for Rip and take shelter in an
old mineshaft together. But the storm won’t be escaped so easily, and
the unstable shaft begins to collapse…
Follow Your Heart is aptly named. Elizabeth is still trying to figure out her feelings and the relationship between her and Jack is strained. Elizabeth isn't sure that Jack's job is something she can handle long term and there is still that little part of her that is drawn to Charles.
Other couples are also in strained relationships like Abigail and Bill Avery, Rosemary and Lee, and Julie and Jack's brother Tom. Each character is faced with the decision to follow their heart; the battle between what the heart wants and what the mind tells you to do is a strong one when it comes to love.
This last DVD in Season 2 will leave you hanging. If you've been hoping for a clear resolution with your favorite couples in Hope Valley, you are probably hoping for Season 3 to get here already (I know I am). Luckily, the holiday special is coming soon!
If you're a fan of the series, follow #hearties on twitter for all the latest buzz.
And stay tuned for the "When Calls the Heart" holiday special December 26th at 8/7c on the Hallmark Channel!
This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways.
Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up 1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please) 2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to your giveaways as well!) 3. Take a moment to enter any giveaway that strikes an interest to you! If you would like to follow the hostesses, we will gladly follow you back! Simply leave us a message to do so.
This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.
The month of November is National Adoption Month. This is a topic dear to my heart as my best friend adopted a sweet little boy four years ago. You may remember this Answer to Prayer.
The day she became a mommy was incredibly special and I am so happy for their sweet family. Her kiddo and AB have been the best of friends since they were babies.
There are so many children that need forever homes and so many families yearning to become adoptive parents. I’m reaching out on behalf of
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, AdoptUSKids, and the
Ad Council to ask for your help in spreading the word about a new PSA
campaign that encourages prospective parents to adopt older youth from
foster care.
The theme for National Adoption Month is, "We Never Outgrow the Need for
Family." That's because older children and youth still have many big
milestones in their life they need a family for.
Can you believe that there are 415,000 children in the U.S. foster care system and 108,000
are waiting to be adopted?
Older
youth and teens have lower adoption rates than younger children, and
they often wait longer to be adopted. But no matter their age, all kids
need a supportive, loving home and the teenage years are a critical
period for growth. AdoptUSKids’ maintains a national photo
listing service for children waiting to be adopted. Since the project
launched in 2002, more than 25,000 children who were once photo listed
on adoptuskids.org have been adopted and nearly 38,000 families have registered to adopt through the website. Nevertheless, older youth are disproportionately represented – approximately 41 percent of children and youth photo listed on adoptuskids.org are between 15 and 18 years old, but only 17 percent of those adopted have been in this age group.
The new TV PSAs, which were created for the campaign
probono, portray a dad giving advice to his teenage daughter after her
first breakup, and a mom giving her son a haircut at home. The humorous,
lighthearted scenarios aim to overcome fears adoptive parents may have
regarding their own imperfections. The PSAs end with the tagline, “You
don’t have to be perfect to be a perfect parent,” reassuring prospective
parents that even if they are not ‘perfect’, they have the ability to
provide the stability and security that older youth in foster care need
and deserve. The PSAs direct audiences to visit adoptuskids.org or to call 1-888-200-4005 (English) or 1-877-236-7831 (Spanish) to receive the latest information about the foster care system and the adoption process. Here’s how you can help:
Write A Blog Post About National Adoption Month. Embed the new PSAs and encourage people to visit AdoptUsKids.org:
If relevant, share a foster
care/adoption story that has touched your family personally. Please let
us know if you want us to share your story on social media.
Use #NAM15 and #perfectparent to share your experience or the new PSAs on social media.
Spread the word! Let us know if you know a blogger who might have a
place in their hearts for the Adoption from Foster Care campaign.
For more information about adoption, or about becoming an adoptive parent to a child from foster care, please visit www.adoptuskids.org or visit the campaign’s communities on Facebook and Twitter.
Why Older Youth?
All of us – and that includes older youth in foster care who are
waiting to be adopted – need and want families throughout life to
support us and to share important life events. Learning to drive a car,
applying for higher education, and birthday and holiday celebrations are
just a few examples of the times in life we need and want to share with
family.
Older youth are overrepresented in the foster care population, as
they generally wait longer to be adopted, and have lower overall
adoption rates.
On adoptuskids.org,
roughly 41 percent of the children and youth actively photolisted are
between the ages of 15 and 18 years old. About 58 percent are male. (Most recent stats as of May 31, 2015)
Families who adopt older youth, are
providing them with the support and stability of a family during a
critical period of normal adolescent concerns and additional
self-identity issues.
Some of the Misperceptions about Adoption from Foster Care:
Adoption is expensive. Unlike the private
adoption of an infant or adopting internationally, there are virtually
no costs associated with adoption from the US child welfare system. In
addition, the vast majority of youth adopted from foster care are also
eligible for monthly adoption assistance up to the level of the foster
care rate.
You have to be married. You do not have to be
married to adopt in most states. Many children have been very
successfully adopted by single parents. Single-parent families accounted
for 29 percent of all adoptions from foster care in 2014 (AFCARS).
You have to have a college degree. Having a high
school diploma or college education is not required. What is important
is that you are stable, flexible, and compassionate, and that you have a
good sense of humor. Most importantly, you must have the support and
commitment to raise a child and to be there for him throughout his
life.
You have to own a home and each child has to have their own room. You can rent your home or live in an apartment or a mobile home so long as your living situation is a stable one.
You have to be of child-bearing age to adopt.
Experienced parents and empty-nesters are encouraged to adopt. In most
instances, you’re eligible to adopt regardless of age, income, marital
status or sexual orientation.
You can only adopt a child who is the same race and ethnicity as you.
Federal law prohibits the delay or denial of an adoptive placement
based on the race or ethnicity of a child in U.S. foster care and the
prospective parent or parents who are seeking to adopt them. The only
exception to this law is the adoption of Native American children where
special considerations apply.
You can’t adopt if you’re in the military. Military families stationed overseas and within the U.S. are eligible to adopt children from the U.S. foster care system.
Please consider spreading the word about this important campaign for National Adoption Month!
I received Flipsies from VTech for review. This post contains affiliate links.
Babies. They grow so fast! It's hard for me to believe that my last baby is already 15 months! She has been growing like a little weed and hitting important milestones such as running, climbing, and pretty much getting into everything she sees. AB has already learned how to escape from her gated area in the living room and has earned herself the nickname "Houdini."
Her big sister has started Pre-K and is learning to write her name. She loves to play soccer in the yard, color and draw, and dance to music. AK recognizes all of her letters of the alphabet and numbers up through twenty. We are working on fine motor skills like tracing and cutting paper. Those don't come easy to her but I am proud of her determination.
VTech knows how important those milestones are and helps parents understand which toys and games help children learn at every step. VTech works closely with a panel of children's learning experts on product development, including the new Flipsiesline.
Their website is a great resource offering guidelines and recommendations to help parents select toys based upon your child's individual needs from birth to nine years old.
I like that VTech's website breaks down important milestones by age and 3 categories of development: Language and Cognitive,Social and Emotional, plus Physical and Motor. It's very easy to find your child's age group and see what toys are appropriate for their level and what skills they help teach!
The Flipsies line of toys is geared toward ages 4-9 years old. We were sent Sandy's House & Ocean Cruiser to test out as part of our Holiday Gift Guide.
Who are the Flipsies?
Flipsies encourage girls to achieve any dream they can imagine. They
are designed to be aspirational, so you can feel confident that they
are entertaining your child in a positive and empowering way. Flipsies
live in the fictional town of Charmingdale, and every Flipsie has a
unique interest and a big dream to inspire exciting new thoughts in your
child’s developing mind. From a dolphin-obsessed marine biologist to a
rock star with big dreams - together they create a universe of
possibilities for your child to explore.
Sandy's House & Ocean Cruiser play set
·Flipsies
Sandy's House and Ocean Cruiser is a 2-in-1 doll playset that
transforms from a beautiful beach house where she can spend time with
her friends to an ocean cruiser that she can use to explore ocean life.·Place
Sandy on the eight MagicPoint locations on the dollhouse playset or
other MagicPoint locations on Flipsies playsets (each sold separately)
and she'll respond with playful phrases unique to her own personality.
·Sandy
magically gets to live out her dream of becoming a marine biologist
through cute outfits, wigs and doll accessories that can be shared with
all Flipsies dolls (additional Flipsies sold separately).
·Press
the charm on Sandy's doll necklace to see it light-up and to experience
her friendly personality; 21 doll accessories include wigs, clothes, a
dolphin, binoculars and more
AK couldn't wait to get this out of the box the minute she saw it! She has played with the smaller Flipsies sets, but this set has even much more to it. It is a fun boat with a little pool area on deck, a water slide, and a zip line. Sandy can sit in several spots, including the driver's seat where you can hear boat noises and bells when you push the gear shift and buttons. Sandy says different phrases depending on the touch points you connect her to.
When you flip the boat's side up, inside there is a bedroom area, bathtub, and kitchen. It's easy to transform from boat to house; just maneuver a few pieces like the slide and zip line (AK can do it by herself without a problem).
She spent several hours placing Sandy on touch points and making up little stories between Sandy and her friend Eva. The two Flipsies can talk to each other when they are in the kitchen seats. AK loves changing Sandy's hair and clothes too. There's even a little dolphin pulling a boat for Sandy to ride on. This play set has so many fun accessories! (Just beware that some of the pieces are very small and not baby friendly; we have to keep them out of AB's reach)
I love toys that encourage my daughter to use her imagination and dream, and Flipsies does just that! Sandy's House & Ocean Cruiser is sure to be on your child's wish list this holiday!
Child Psychology Expert and Panel Member Dr. Susan Bartell, recently answered development questions from parent bloggers that you may find helpful:
What are some ways to
help my daughter feel less shy when meeting new people?
Children
are usually shy when meeting new people because they don’t have good
‘icebreakers’. Give your daughter some ideas for how to start, and she’ll be
off and running in no time. Offer her concrete ideas for what to say when
meeting someone new. A couple of questions about that person is a great start
(How old are you? Where do you go to school?) Complimenting someone is also a
good icebreaker and a way to make the other person feel good (your shirt is so pretty;
I really like your sneakers/headband). Finally, give her suggestions about what
to tell someone about herself (I have a baby brother; my favorite color is
pink, I just learned to ride a 2-wheeler). Then, do some ‘dress rehearsals’
with her—practicing is an excellent way to build confidence about the new
skills you have just taught her!
How can I encourage my
child to try new things and not say she can’t before she even makes and
attempt?
Children
sometimes need to try something several times before they like it—especially
food—so getting them over that initial hump of trying is very important. It is
important for you to remain calm, and not angry or frustrated when you are
getting your child to try something new and not expect her to try new things
under pressure—pressing her to try a new yogurt when you’re rushing her to
school and you to work is not a good time!Usually it is fear of the unknown that causes resistance. Therefore, the
best way to encourage trying is to demystify the experience, offer support and
an ‘out’ if necessary. For example, if you want her to try playing soccer:
point out all her friends that play, tell her you will stay for the whole
practice and let her know that after she tries it 3 times she can stop if she
still doesn’t like it.
What is a good age to
start giving my child more responsibility? For example, doing chores independently
on a regular schedule.
Children
can begin to benefit from chores starting as young as four or five years old as
long as they are age appropriate—for example, taking unbreakable items off the
dinner table or putting toys away neatly. The key to ‘chore success’ is to make
sure that you don’t give too many chores, and that they can be accomplished
within your child’s schedule every single time. For example, taking out the
garbage on garbage day is only good for an older child that can lift the
garbage, and if she has time in the morning on every single garbage day. If
not, then this isn’t a good chore. I suggest no more than two regular chores
for a child, if you want to ensure success. In addition, it is important for
you to follow up consistently to make sure that your child is completing
chores. VERY few kids will continue to do their chores if a parent isn’t
vigilant about ensuring follow-through. You should not expect your child to do
it without some reminder or prompting—and you will feel less frustrated if you
don’t expect this!
My child likes to play by
herself, what is a good way to encourage her to play with other kids her
age?
There
is nothing wrong with a child sometimes wanting to play alone, but it is a good
idea to also encourage socializing. For kids that prefer to play alone, a one
on one playdate is much more likely to be successful than a larger group. In
addition, schedule playtimes that aren’t more than an hour or two, to begin, so
your child doesn’t feel pressure to be successful for longer than she wants.
Finally, have some structured activity (art project, new toy—like Flipsies!) so that your child
doesn’t feel that she has to entertain her playmate. If your child seems very
resistant, or if a teacher tells you that she doesn’t know how to play with
others,
it is a good idea to speak to a psychologist or other professional to explore
whether she would benefit from an evaluation or to learn some skills.
When playing in groups my child can
sometimes be argumentative/combative (usually occurs when her friends aren’t
“playing right” or how she wants them to), should I step in? How can I
encourage her to have patience with her playmates and respect her friends’
point of view play decisions?
Developmentally,
preschool and young elementary age children tend to be ‘rule governed’. This is
why they love board games and sports, all of which have many rules to follow.
They don’t tolerate rule-breaking very well, so it’s common for young children
(especially first or only children) to become frustrated when friends don’t
follow the ‘rules’. In fact, this frustration may extend even to rules that
have been made up by the group for a game that has been created, or rules that
she perceives to be the right way—even if others don’t agree. It is better to
help your child learn how to manage her feelings, rather than stepping in
yourself to manage the situation. Play rule-governed games with your child so
that you can help her manage her frustration during play. Don’t let her change
the rules, and resist the urge to let her make all the rules. As she becomes more tolerant for not being in
charge, this will eventually transfer to her play with other children. In
addition, talk with your child before she enters a group situation. Remind her
that she has to allow others to be in charge sometimes, and explain that other
children may not want to play with her if she argues with them and they won’t
find it fun if she always insists on being in charge. If it becomes necessary,
call your child out of the group and remind her of these rules, then send her
back in to try again. Be sure to reinforce positive, cooperative play.
For more holiday gift ideas, be sure to check out the 2015 Holiday Gift Guide
Giveaway:
One reader will win a Sandy's House & Ocean Cruiser play set
Just use the Giveaway Tools form below. You must be a US resident 18 or older to
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only may enter. One entry per household and IP address. Winner will be
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another winner will be chosen. Entries are verified. No purchase
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Disclosure: I received Flipsies product and information from VTech for review purposes. All opinions are my own. Sponsor is providing the giveaway prize. For more info. see my Disclosure
Policy.
Thanks for stopping by! I'm a busy former teacher {turned stay at home mom} on the hunt for ways to entertain my 3 kids. I love period dramas, all things Disney, and am passionate about getting kids interested in reading.
I enjoy writing about parenthood, entertainment, travel and local Philadelphia area attractions.
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