Limitless fun with Antsy Pants Build And Play kits

If I was describing the perfect toy, it would be something that was a project. Something that took a while to set up, provided customizing opportunities so the kids can get creative, and it would have an ambiguous design that allowed for almost limitless play. All of this adds up to something that the kids … Read more

A sensory adventure with SentoSphere art and learning kits

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This is going to come as a shock to anyone who knows how close my daughter and I are, but a few months ago I found it hard to bond with my sweet little girl. We spent most of the day together but sometimes it felt like we were so similar that we were constantly at odds. With the start of school and the addition of ballet and playdates there was a lot of hurry up and clean up and eat up and we’ve got to go, but not a whole lot of time to just sit and talk and enjoy each other.
Mixing colors AquarellumI realized I had to do something fast or this school year was going to be pretty awful for both of us, but I wasn’t sure what. It was then that I tried crafts and I realized that was going to be our saving grace. Crafting gave us a time to slow down, to relax, and for some reason, it made my girl open up. Crafting time told her she had my undivided attention – and she was going to make the most of it.

For that reason I am constantly on the lookout for crafts that we can do together, and I’ve found the perfect company to help me keep us both happy and connected. SentoSphere started in France creating high quality artistic and educational games, kits and toys but are now selling most of their lines in the States. Sure, we still do coloring books and doodling on some days, but other days we want something with a real wow factor, and that’s when we turn to SentoSphere.

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The Magic School Bus Weather Lab from Young Scientists Club {review & giveway}


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Anyone who knows my daughter knows that science is a verb in our house. A few months ago, my daughter decided that she definitely wanted to be a scientist when she grew up…. or a ballerina. We ran with the scientist thing.

I never turn down an opportunity to spark my kids’ love of learning, and science with kids can be a fascinating thing that can carry them all through school. So, now we “science” all sorts of stuff each day, anything from basic weather phenomenon, things we find in nature, or concepts that can be hard to explain to kids without hands-on experiments.


The Magic School Bus Weather Lab
Thank goodness there are kits designed specifically for teaching kids early science lessons, because I would be lost on how to start teaching science otherwise. I recently found the Magic School Bus line of science kits from Young Scientists Club and it was as if I had found the coolest toys on earth, according to my daughter.

I loved the books growing up, and we just found the Magic School Bus show after searching for science shows for kids, so as soon as I saw that there were Magic School Bus kits specifically for doing science at home, I was sold. And, then when I saw this kit, I fell in love:


Magic School Bus Weather Lab

Magic School Bus Weather Lab
Ms. Frizzle and her students help Young Scientists learn about the weather by spinning a pinwheel, making a tornado in a bottle, swirling a paper snake, recreating the water cycle, creating a rain cloud, using a sun dial, constructing a barometer, catching a rainbow, and learning about the greenhouse effect. With a weather chart is for tracking weather with colorful stickers, 28 colorful experiment cards, weather station, weather chart, stickers, and data notebook to record observations, your child will have everything they need to become a little meterologist.

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We love the Wummelbox craft and learning kits {Review}

Time travel is something that holds a special place in my heart.  Technically, time travel is responsible for hubby’s and my first date ever.  Okay, not actual time travel, but a theoretical discussion on the merits and limits of time travel that led to an impasse that led to a bet: declared loser buys dinner … Read more

Rainy day fun with imagine i CAN Knitting Beginnings from Manhattan Toy

My daughter is constantly picking up crocheted and knit items she finds and asking me if I could possibly “yarn this” for her myself.  As much as I agree that whatever knit scarf/hat/owl/monkey that she holds up is cute, what she doesn’t understand is that I have never created anything out of yarn that I … Read more

My Wonderful Walls: Forest Friends Wall Mural Stencil Kit

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I was insistent that we finish the nursery before she arrived.  I spent hours moving around furniture, planning the décor, and finally, painting a mural in her room with my sister.  Unfortunately, my daughter arrived over 3 weeks early and we barely had time to get the mural … Read more

Eitech 50th Anniversary Space Needle Building Kit {Review}

Remember last year when we raved about the Eitech Classic Construction Vehicles Set?  Not only do we still love it and look forward to building with it every chance we get, now we’ve added to our Eitech love with the addition of the newly released Space Needle model. To commemorate the building’s 50th anniversary, Eitech … Read more

Zometool Building Sets: where science and art meet

It’s a rare activity that keeps a 4-year-old, 12-year-old and 30-{something}-year-old entertained for hours, but I think I’ve finally hit on the holy grail of all ageless activities – building stuff.  I figured this out this Thanksgiving with the help of Zometool and our holiday gatherings will now never be the same again.    Thanksgiving up … Read more

Fort Magic Building Kit: Best Way to Spend a Rainy Spring Day

I will admit I have a high tolerance for cool; it just takes a lot to impress me these days.  But when I heard about Fort Magic, I couldn’t help but be impressed.  The kit promises “Hours & Hours of Imaginative Play with Giant Life-Size Forts” and that’s just the kind of thing that I … Read more

Real Tools for Kids from Red Toolbox: Father’s Day Pick

Get Out and PLAY Event – Day 17 When I first found out I was pregnant, all I could think about was little itty bitty cuteness.  But, while I was dreaming of small clothing and even tinier shoes and accessories, my husband was looking much further ahead.  He had already set his heart on road … Read more