Genius (and CHEAP) Ways to Childproof Your Home

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mage credit:Kidsactivitiesblog.com

Did you know that your baby can crawl for close to quarter of a mile before a cup of coffee can get ready? Many babies begin crawling at eight months. This means that they’ll start pulling everything that will attract their eyes-From chairs to books on reachable cabinets which exposes them to lots of dangers ranging from electrical sockets to plants on the floor.

In fact, your house may be safe for you but for your baby it’s another story. Therefore, be prepared to childproof your bathroom, kitchen, nursery, fireplace or any other area that may pose a threat to your baby.

GENIUS (AND CHEAP) WAYS TO CHILDPROOF 

TURKEY PRETZELS

TURKEY PRETZELS

PEANUT BUTTER CUP & SWISS CAKE ROLL REINDEER

PEANUT BUTTER CUP & SWISS CAKE ROLL REINDEER

Tea Light Snowman

 

Tea Light Snowman

These cute little ornaments are quick and easy to make and look great on

 your tree. This is a guide about making a tea light snowman ornament.

Kids Chalkboard Table

 What a great idea this chalkboard table is.  There will be hours of entertainment for the Kids and you can upcycle any old table. 

Kids Chalkboard Table Tutorial

Frozen Banana Penguins

These adorable Frozen Banana Penguins are perfect for parties and sure to have everyone talking.  Tutorial via ‘Momma Told Me’

Frozen Banana Penguins Tutorial

UNO Roboto ‘House Rules’ @Mattel @Mattel_Inc @MattelShop @MomCentral

Have you played UNO? We loved playing UNO with the kids as they were growing up and now we can play with their kids! Not only is UNO a fantastically fun game, it helps the kids with their colors, numbers, and following directions. I am all for the sneaky learning!  In addition, they can be short games, which is great for smaller kids with shorter attention spans. In all honesty, that’s part of why I love it so much. I’m not a big fan of certain board games that are hard to finish because they are so long. Also, there aren’t a lot of little pieces to get lost! Did you know that UNO  has been around for 40 years?   That’s a milestone! To mark this landmark anniversary, this year Mattel has introduced a fun new way to play UNO. 

We were given the opportunity to receive a UNO Roboto House Rules game to review through our affiliation with Mom Central. I decided Thanksgiving day would be a wonderful time to introduce the game to the family since so many of us would be together! UNO Roboto was a hit with the entire family! The new version combines the best of the original Uno, and then adds new fun elements, such as having a robot throw twists in the game! 

During the game, UNO Roboto gives players random commands to act out. Telling them to switch cards or to perform the house rule. If you cannot come up with your own house rule, no worries, the game offers several suggestions. UNO Roboto is available at major retailers and at Mattel’s online shop! For under $30, it makes for a lively game night!
You never know what he's going to say next! Start by recording your names and your "House Rule." This quirky robot will call on you and your friends throughout the game, with surprising tasks and funny phrases! But the goal is still the same - be the first to get rid of all your cards!WATCH THE INTERACTIVE VIDEO

• Robot figure calls out names and "Random Rules"
• Be ready - he could call out the "House Rule" at any minute!
• Also includes classic UNO 108-card deck
• For 2-10 players

How much fun did we have with the game?  No one wanted to stop playing! They had a blast playing and trying to come up with new and better house rules each time! It is definitely a favorite!
For more information on this and other fabulous Mattel games, visit the UNO Roboto website and the UNO Facebook page.  There is also a great promotion of a free 7 x 9 Shutterfly Photo Book with the purchase of qualified Mattel games at Toys R Us!  Click HERE for all the details! Hurry! This offer ends 12/31/2011!

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of UNO Roboto and received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

THQ UDRAW: YOU DRAW YOUR CITY SWEEPSTAKES

With several schools cutting their arts programs, it is important now more than ever to help our children get these activities. It is important to allow them to express their creativity and imagination. In our home, we utilize many items so that they may express their creativity.
Our kids have always loved to draw and create. It can be as simple as using items you may discard (toilet paper rolls) to creating their own jewelry to simply drawing their own creation. Our family also has a uDraw GameTablet and everyone from young to old has used it!
THQ uDraw Your City has launched a nationwide art contest, in which young artists  ages 6 to 17 years old have the chance to share what they love most about their city through art. 

Creativity and imagination can be found in every city, town, and community all over the world. Everyone can be an artist – no matter who you are or where you come from! We want you to embrace that creativity and artistic inspiration to show us “What your city, your town, or your community means to you.”
Maybe it’s a drawing of your favorite landmark. A painting of you and your friends at the park? A picture of your hopes and wishes for your community? You are the artist, so the sky is the limit!
uDraw and THQ invite you to take part in a nationwide competition for young artists from 6-17. Create an original piece of art on the competition’s theme, and send it in to us for a chance to win $10,000 and a $10,000 donation to your school’s art program.
The submission entry period lasts from September 1st to October 31st, 2011. So what are you waiting for -- let’s celebrate creativity in all the cities and communities across the world together!



What can you win?
GRAND PRIZE:

• $10,000 cash prize that can be used toward a college scholarship
• $10,000 for the winner’s school of choice (to help with the school’s art program)
• a 62″ 3D HGTV
• a video game console (Xbox 360, PS3, or Wii)
• uDraw game tablet
• a host of uDraw games
• a $750 Game Stop gift card

(3) Runners Up: (ARV $3,020)

• each winner will receive $1,000 cash prize
• a uDraw art studio package
• a uDraw game pack
• 1 game system (Wii, Xbox 360, or PS3)
• 45″ HGTV
• $250 Game Stop gift card

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of THQ and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Fun and Easy Halloween Kid Crafts

Need some kid's Halloween ideas to keep the kiddo’s busy?

Check out these fabulous crafts:

Jack-O-LanternYard Stake

 pumpkin shape

FrankensteinWindow Hanger

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Paper Doll

   view this PRINTABLE 

Created by: Doll From Paper

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OUT TO LUNCH #printable #moms #lunch #kids #diy

 view this DIY 

Created by: A Little Delightful

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The importance of grammar…

 The importance of grammar…

To see the original post, click below:

{The Importance of Grammar...}

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{Bird Feeders} #crafty diy #kid-friendly #kids

 Looking for a

fun project to do with the kids?

How about these

Bird Feeders?

They will have fun and

do good at the same time!

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{Bird Feeders}

 

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[Squeezable Homemade Finger Paint]

 Kids bored?

How about making homemade

finger paints?

To see the full post, click below:

[Squeezable Homemade Finger Paint]

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Kid-Friendly: {We Play With Knives}

 

Typically, you won’t see me pass along ideas such as this.

Not that I don’t feel they are important, it is just not my ‘style’ to blog things like this.

But, when an idea is great, a simple one that most of us never thought of, it needs to be passed along!

This idea for keeping kids busy at restaurants, We Play With Knives from  How Does She? is so creative yet simple!

 

What’s great about this idea?

There is no need to bring along anything!

to see the full post, click below:

{ We Play With Knives }

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Let's Make It: Make Your Own Custom Bedding

 Let's Make It: Make Your Own Custom Bedding 

I have been wanting to do up a guest room and 

have it be kid friendly.

 This great idea from Positively Splendid might just be the design I need to makeover the room.

Amy made these for her kids.

 You know what?

 They look pretty cool!

to see the full tutorial, click below:

 Make Your Own Custom Bedding

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ULTIMATE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE: Phonics Fantasy Theater

Kids love learning and dancing and dancing is a great way for self-expression and exercise. An educational DVD that combines the two elements of learning and dancing was very intriguing. Phonics Fantasy Theater is an innovative program that uses West African Caribbean dance moves to synchronize with letter sounds. My children immediately began to participate and were moving and making the appropriate sounds. I loved that they were getting physical exercise and learning by doing and being an active participant.

This program uses lots of repetition and fun activities to learn letter sounds.  Phonics Fantasy Dance “assigns a specific dance movement to speech sound categories such as stretch sounds, short vowel sounds, stop sounds, long vowel sounds, r-controlled, letter blends and diphthongs.” The instructor, Ms. CJay is warm and inviting with children responding to her immediately as a “teacher.” Added bonus? It is fun and children really enjoy learning new dance moves and making the letter sounds.

The creators of Phonics Fantasy Dance have over 30 years in the field of speech-language pathology and 10 years in educational theater. I really liked Phonics Fantasy Dance…it is over 140 minutes of programming which can be broken down into small segments through 19 lessons. I

Recommended for Pre-K through second Grade (ages 4-7)

You can purchase Phonics Fantasy Theater for only $19.99.

Giveaway

One reader will win a copy of the Phonics Fantasy Theater on DVD.

Mandatory Entry:

Go to Phonics Fantasy Theater and tell me something you learned there.

 Bonus Entries:

1. Subscribe to my blog by email.

2. Follow me on Twitter.(SIDEBAR)

3. Like my page on Facebook.(SIDEBAR)

4. Follow me on Networked blogs.

5. Receive 1 entry for each additional post you comment on.

6. Receive 1 entry for any of my other giveaways you enter.

7. Place my button on your blog.

8. Vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs. (SIDEBAR)
9. 5 Entries for posting my giveaway on your blog with a link

10. Blog about this giveaway.

11. Tweet as many times as you like (must be at least 1 hour apart)

#WIN a Phonics Fantasy Theater DVD at Extreme Personal Measures! @extreme_measure   http://bit.ly/bj0kTx         PL RT

Good Luck!

    

In some cases, I was provided with products to facilitate my reviews.

No compensation was given. Only the gift credit was received for the purpose of reviewing the website and products. All opinions written are completely and 100% mine and only mine!

US residents only. For complete contest rules, please see our Contest Statement and Blog Disclosure. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on December 17th, 2010 when 1 winner will be drawn at random and announced the next day. When commenting, please include your email address. I will notify the winners and they will have 48 hours to respond! This was not a paid post. My own opinions were used based on my perceptions and experience. US entrants over 18 only. 

  

 Thank you to the sponsors for providing me this opportunity!