Things to Do - No Monsters 2015 "Sort-of" Toy Gift Guide (And A Give Away!!!! - NOW CLOSED!)

I've never done a gift guide before, as I have a love/hate relationship with the whole concept. On one hand, gift guides are such an in-you-face celebration of consumerism and the need to find new things to buy that you didn't even know you wanted (really, is it necessary to buy things you didn't even know you wanted?). On the other hand, well, they're fun. And pretty.

Now that the kids are growing past the toy stage, it's sort of fun and look back at which toys really stood the test of time and which were forgotten almost as soon as the wrapping paper came off.

So if you're looking for some ideas for you kid/niece/neighbor/etc. here are things that we've loved through the years and that, on cold boring days, I'll still find older kids re-exploring.



T's Favorite Toys; ages 3.5-6

1. Everything but the Dalmation Firehouse. Every time I suggest that (after 2 years) we finally move this out of the living room, T says no.

2. Magformers XL Cruisers Car Set (Colors may vary). For two years, T couldn't stop playing with these. So. many. cars.

3. Army Men Action Figures -soldiers of WWII- Big Bucket of Army Soldiers - Over 200 Piece Set. We take these on vacation with us, within seconds any hotel room can become a combat zone.

4. Wooden Play Cutlass - Made in USA We have a house full of toy weapons (yes, I'm THAT mom), I think this one is my favorite because it's tough enough for little boys but cute enough for sappy moms.

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The Girls' Favorite Toys; ages 6-10

5. Pogo Stick. They continue to bounce. All of them. Year after year.

6. All Natural Spa Lab The spa lab was a huge Xmas success two years ago, since then we've mostly moved onto our own recipes (love the book - Homemade Beauty: 150 Simple Beauty Recipes Made from All-Natural Ingredients), but it all started with this kit.

7. Flip Fashion I love this book, everyone loves this book. It's pretty. And fun. And good for any age who is old enough not to try to eat the pages.

8. Spalding NBA Street Basketball Give a girl (even a girly girl) a basketball and she'll love you for life. Skateboards work too.



Everyone's Favorite Toys; ages 3-10

9. MagnaTiles. We've had these for 8 or so years now and the kids still play with them.

10. Just Dance 2016. I think everyone is sick of Just Dance, but if you have a house of bored kids, it works. Year after year.

11. Gravity Maze. We've played with this often since last Christmas, the challenges are fun to solve as a team. And it's crazy to see all the different ways you can put the parts together.

12. Toroflux - Kinetic Spring Toy. It is impossible not to love this toy/gadget/doodad. Plus it feels like a massage on your arm.

13. LED Foam Stick Baton Supreme. Cheap. Easy. Fun. for these long winter days. So much better than glowsticks.

14. Blutrack 25' Track Set. T received this as a birthday present 3 (4?) years ago and it is still going strong. The kids like to loop it over chairs, tables, stairs, boxes, etc. to make different racetracks. We've even brought it on vacation a few times. It's seriously one of those gifts that just keeps giving.

AS AN EXTRA HOLIDAY TREAT, THINKFUN WILL GIVEAWAY ONE GRAVITY MAZE GAME TO A NO MONSTERS READER!! (US addresses only). To enter please comment on this post, with your name and email address. Don't forget to write your email in the text of the message (so I can find you). A random winner will be chosen next Monday (December 14).

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED AND A RANDOM WINNER HAS BEEN CHOSEN! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!!!

Things to Do - ThinkFun's Compose Yourself GIVEAWAY!! (NOW CLOSED)

As frequent blog readers probably already know, we're big fans of ThinkFun's educational games and activities. But lately we're especially big fans of their new Compose Yourself music cards. The thick plastic transparent cards each have a set of musical notes on them. You then go online and enter a series of cards to make a song or melody. Flip them. Reverse them. Repeat them. It's shockingly fun.

And this has become our go-to downtime activity this summer. Whenever the kids say, "I'm bored." I reply, "then go make a song." And they do. Over and over again. Even I can't stop fiddling with them. If you listen carefully you start to understand how music and notes work (I never learned to read music, so I'm a somewhat fascinated by this).

The super easy computer interface makes parental involvement optional, so this is the perfect summer activity for children when you need some time by yourself (perhaps a nap?). I can't say enough good things.

Think Fun has offered to giveaway one set of Compose Yourself cards to a No Monsters reader (US addresses only). To enter, just comment on this post. Please include your email address in the body of the message (so I can find you). This giveaway will close in one week at 10 pm on August 10th.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED, A RANDOM WINNER HAS BEEN PICKED AND NOTIFIED. THANK YOU!

Things to Make - Stencil Craft Book - TWO GIVEAWAYS!!! [NOW CLOSED]

Lately, I'm a little enamored with Margaret Peot's Stencil Craft: Techniques for Fashion, Art and Home, perfect for summer arting. The book helped with things I've always wondered how to do (i.e two color stencil portraits), as well as introducing cool new techniques - stenciling with foil, using Derwent Inktense blocks, working with discharge paste, etc.

Really, there's a little bit of everything - practical application projects as well as lots of new techniques and materials.

For an easy project with the kids, I decided to try "nature stencils" using a plant mister and thinned watercolor paint (Peot recommended thinned acrylic paint, but we didn't have any). I'll post on this tomorrow.

We can't wait to try more of Peot's projects. In the meantime, Peot has offered to giveaway one Stencil Craft book to a No Monsters reader (US addresses only). To enter, just comment on this post. Please include your email address in the body of the message (so I can find you). This giveaway will close in two weeks (at 8:00 pm on August 3rd).

In addition to the book giveaway, there's also a Rafflecopter giveaway for:

STENCIL CRAFT TOTE STENCILING KIT

The winner of the rafflecopter giveaway will receive:

17" x 15" canvas tote hand printed with a stencil interpretation Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring
A signed copy of STENCIL CRAFT: TECHNIQUES FOR FASHION, ART AND HOME
1 blank 12" x 12" canvas tote
1 10" x 14" piece of stencil Mylar
1 sponge
2 stencil brushes
1 craft knife set
2 Metallic Lumiere Acrylic Paints, Indigo and Metallic Copper.

To enter the rafflecopter giveaway, click here.

HAPPY MONDAY EVERYONE!!

[THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED, A RANDOM WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!]

(Disclaimer - I received a free copy of this book in return for writing an honest review. The opinions expressed in this post are, obviously, entirely my own).

Things to Do - Gravity Maze GIVEAWAY!! [Now Closed}

I have a friend who loves making marble runs with her kids - they own runs in every size and color imaginable. But me? Well up til now I've always been more neutral on the marble run experience. Yes, it can be fun to build a little roller coaster of sorts, but after awhile the whole process seems a little redundant. Until now.

Over the past year or so, Thinkfun has asked us to try out a variety of their new toys and games and we've always been rather impressed with their offerings. But Gravity Maze is the best yet. The puzzle/game comes with 60 challenges, ranging from beginning to expert. And it is up to you to arrange various translucent "towers" in such a way that the ball rolls from A to Z.

Gravity Maze is designed for children 8 and up. P (my 8 year old) loves solving the challenges both with me (as a team) and on her own. Whereas, T (my 5 year old) prefers to let me do most of the problem solving, while he drops the ball to see if we're working in the right direction.

All in all, this is a great pre-dinner activity, especially during the LONG LONG nights of December. Think Fun has offered to giveaway one gravity maze to a No Monsters reader (US addresses only). To enter, just comment on this post. Please include your email address in the body of the message (so I can find you). This giveaway will close this Thursday night (December 18th).

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED AND A WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!!

Things to Do - Papirmass GIVEAWAY!!! (now closed)

I originally wrote about Papirmass a few months ago - the subscription art service that delivers an amazing print each month through your mailbox. The cost is relatively cheap ( $69 a year ($99 outside of the US)) and the art is both eclectic and gorgeous.

Now that the holidays are approaching, a Papirmass subscription makes a lovely gift. And for those of you who hate surprises, Papirmass also sells former subscription prints for only $10 each (though they often sell out). Click here to see the selection. You can also buy folios of all their 2012 and 2013 prints.

Papirmass is giving away a year long subscription to one lucky reader. To enter go to Papirmass's website, find your favorite print, and then either: (1) list the name of the print in the comments section of this post. MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE BODY OF THE MESSAGE!!! OR 2) Like No Monsters In My Bed on Facebook and write the name of your favorite print on either my wall or as a comment (also, please make sure that your facebook account allows you to receive messages from non-friends).

I will choose a random winner one week from today, on the evening of Wednesday, November 12th.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED! A WINNER HAS BEEN CHOSEN AND THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

HAPPY WEDNESDAY EVERYONE!!

Things to Do - Somersault Snacks GIVEAWAY!!

For our trip to Charleston, Somersault Snack Company sent some yummy snacks to keep hunger at bay while on the road. I'm by no means a health food expert, but I was pretty impressed by the nutritional info, "[s]omersaults are a good source of fiber, vitamin E and offer you the same protein as almonds, but with fewer calories and less fat." Still not convinced? Check out their snack compare chart.

As an added bonus, NONE of Somersault's offerings contain peanuts, making it a great choice for an allergy family like our's.

But most importantly, my kids really liked them. All three kids. Sort of miraculous really.

If you're interested in trying some yourself, Somersault will provide one lucky reader with a free sample pack, a lip balm and a pedometer (US residents only please). To enter, just use the rafflecopter gadet below.

HAPPY MONDAY EVERYONE!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Things to Do - Thinkfun Games Review and GIVEAWAY!!

NOTE - THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!

Our friends at Thinkfun gave us three of their new games to check out, all of which provided some much needed entertainment during thes cold days of sprinter (spring/winter).



Hoppers
We keep this game on the kitchen table and throughout any given day you'll see some member of our family playing it. The premise is simple enough - you arrange the little frog "hoppers" as displayed on the game card (cards range from easy to "super hard"). You then hop frog over frog until (ideally) only one frog remains.

I use Hoppers as a nice, short stress reliever during the day (probably because, sometimes, I need to win something). The kids enjoy it too, as even the most challenging puzzles becomes doable once you figure out your previous mistakes. Plus, I love the game's self-contained carrying case - making it perfect for car trips.



Last Letter

The girls are obsessed with this multi-player game (they often bring it out on playdates). First each player receives 5 cards. In the center, a "starting" card is displayed, someone calls out one of the objects or actions on the card and then everyone must find on one of their own cards an object or action whose name starts with the last letter of the previous named word. So if someone yells skateboarder, the next thing named must start with R. The first player to discard all of their cards wins.

I like that the cards contain funny cartoons full of crazy scenarios (all very different). Last Letter is a great before bed activity, as the gameplay moves along quickly. Plus, it helps with spelling skills (make sure to review words that begin with E because that silent e at the end of words comes up over and over again).



Square By Square

This game seems easy enough - you arrange the blocks (onto a contained game space) to duplicate one of the pictures displayed on the various cards. But, if you ask me, even the easy ones are somewhat challenging (I always end up with one block that doesn't fit). Oh well, frustration can be good. And it keeps the kids entertained while I make dinner (plus, once you can't take it anymore, the back of each card details the puzzle's solution).

Thinkfun will give away one of their new release games to a lucky reader, you can choose from the three games reviewed above or any of the other wonderful selections detailed here. Just enter below to win!

[NOTE - You can enter through the giveaway gadget at the bottom of this post OR by commenting to this post, but if you comment, please leave an email in the body of the message so I can get in touch with you. Thanks!]

Happy Monday everyone!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Things to Do - FLASH GIVEAWAY for tickets to this weekend's Sugarloaf Crafts Festival (at Dulles Expo Center)

Three free tickets to this weekend's Sugarloaf Crafts Festival in Chantilly, VA go to the FIRST PERSON TO COMMENT BELOW!! (Kids 12 and under are free)

The Sugarloaf craft festival includes:

* 250 designers and artists
* Daily children's entertainment
* Daily craft demonstrations
* Specialty foods
* Free shopping bags
* Music

Friday 10-6
Saturday 10-6
Sunday 10-5

For more information about the festival click here.

HAPPY MONDAY EVERYONE!!!

Things to Do - ThinkFun Games Review & GIVEAWAY!!!

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW CLOSED AND THE RANDOM WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!!

Thinkfun offered us some fun games to review, to which I immediately replied YES!!! F loves Rush Hour so I figured she would enjoy trying out some of ThinkFun's newer offerings. Our reviews are listed below. And, if you're interested (who wouldn't be interested?), Think Fun will send one lucky reader any game of his/her choice. So check out their website here and then win something.

In order to enter, either (1) Comment to this post, making sure to include your email address in the body of the message or (2) Like No Monsters In My Bed on Facebook and write on my wall that you're entering the giveaway (also, please make sure that your Facebook account allows you to receive messages from non-friends).

I will close the contest and randomly choose a winner one week from today at 5pm EST on November 13th. (NOW CLOSED!!)

OUR REVIEWS:



(1)Laser Maze - I gave F Laser Maze for her birthday (yes, I'm sure there are ethical questions involved about gifting something received for free, but lets put those to the side for now) and she LOVES it!! Actually, we all love it, which is a little surprising as lasers usually annoy me, for reasons I can't decipher (something about a bright singular beam of light). Lately, this has become our family's go-to weekend activity (and, I must confess, after the kids go to bed, I've tried to solve a puzzle or two on my own).

The game comes with several challenge cards of varying levels (we're still working on the beginning set), as well as a small laser beam and several accessory pieces (beam-Splitters, mirrors, checkpoints, and a checkpoint) for redirecting the laser's path. I wasn't sure how much we would enjoy problem solving as a family, but this game has taught us to work as a team (at times). Though my favorite part about the laser maze has been watching F concentrate over the different configurations of pieces, almost like chess, but with a quicker end game.



(2)Swish Jr.- For the last three weeks, we've Swished quite a bit. Unlike most multi-player games, Swish's rules are easy, as is set up, making it easy to play a few rounds whenever the "boreds" kick in. Swish Jr. consists of several transparent cards, which you lay out in three rows of four. You then try to match the cards up. The first player to find a match yells "swish", picks up the cards, and the the dealer quickly lays down another set.

The first time you play, it can be rather difficult to find a match, as you're not used to turning the shapes around in your mind to see how they fit together. Luckily, when this becomes easy you can up the difficulty by only looking for three card "swishes." Eventually you can work into four card swishes (we're not there yet).

I have to say, as far as children's games go, this is one of my favorites. It's fun to play and quick, with minimal prep. And it doesn't totally bore me, which is sort of awesome.

(3)Brainteaser Kit - I really like these puzzles (despite the fact, or maybe because of the fact, that I can't figure most of them out), but I'm not quite sure how best to use them with the kids. I don't want the kids to rely on too many of the hints or the puzzles may becomes "easy." But I also don't want the kids to think of these as impossible and stop trying. So far, we bring them out every once in awhile. T quits after about 10 seconds, P lasts a few minutes, and F keeps working on the puzzles for about ten or fifteen minutes (they're recommended for 2nd grade and up, so F's my only child in the toy's demographic).

I think the brainteaser set would probably work best in a classroom or homeschool setting, where activities are more structured; or maybe on an airplane or long trip, when you want something challenging to entertain children for a set period.

We like working on them, we're just not quite sure when to bring them out.

Things to Do - Pinhole Press GIVEAWAY (Beautifully Simple Photo Gifts)

A few months ago, while playing Memory with the kids and trying to remember if it was the dolphin or the monkey next to me in row 3, I contemplated how much more fun this game would be if the cards contained pictures that I actually wanted to remember. Then, luckily, I learned of Pinhole Press's memory game. What a fabulous idea - use your own pictures. I ordered two sets and the whole family can't stop playing.

Besides memory games Pinhole Press carries several other wonderful photo products - calendars, wall decals, framed prints, journals, storybooks, invitations, brag books, etc. Gorgeous stuff. Click here to check it all out. And THIS WEEK, ONE LUCKY READER CAN A WIN $35 GIFT CERTIFICATE (US and Canadian addresses only). In order to enter, either (1) comment to this post, making sure to include your email address in the body of the message or (2) Like No Monsters In My Bed on Facebook and write on my wall that you're entering the giveaway (also, please make sure that your facebook account allows you to receive messages from non-friends). I will randomly choose a winner next Wednesday, August 14 at 5 pm. [THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!!!]

Further, ALL READERS RECEIVE 10% OFF THROUGH AUGUST 31ST WHEN THEY ENTER THE CODE "MONSTERS". Orders over $75 receive free shipping.

So hurry up and START SHOPPING!!!

Things to Do - LENSBABY GIVEAWAY (oh, and pictures of our week at the beach in Corolla, NC)

One house, eight kids, six adults, and two dogs = lots of opportunities for photos.

Lensbaby sent me their Composer Pro with Double Glass lens to try out and I must admit, I'm a little in love with it (some of my favorite lensbaby photos are posted above). Lensbabies work incredibly well for beach photos, in that they create a defined focal point and a dreamy/surreal look. Plus, Lensbabies are fun to work with, so many opportunities to be creative.

The Composer Pro lens comes with a series of aperture rings, perfect for trying out different effects. I spent most of the trip at 4.0, because the focus on the 2.8 proved too narrow, even for me. I never ventured higher than the 4 because I never usually venture higher than 4 on my go-to lens (I'm normally a 2.8 girl, but with the Lensbaby I needed a little more wiggleroom).

Luckily, Lensbaby has offered to GIVE AWAY A BRAND NEW SPARK LENS, which is a great opportunity to check out their product and see if it works for you. In order to enter, either (1) Comment to this post, making sure to include your email address in the body of the message or (2) Like No Monsters In My Bed on Facebook and write on my wall that you're entering the giveaway (also, please make sure that your facebook account allows you to receive messages from non-friends).
Easy Peasy.

I will close the contest and randomly choose a winner two weeks from now at 5 pm on FRIDAY, JUNE 22nd. Also, the Spark lens only works with Cannon and Nikon DSLR cameras, so please don't enter if you don't own a DSLR (and click here for more info on the lens).

[THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED, A RANDOM WINNER HAS BEEN CHOSEN AND NOTIFIED!]

Oh yes, so onto more beach pics . . .



The sand dune in back of our rental house provided almost as much entertainment as the beach itself. A bumpy sandbox that the adults could supervise through a window. Pretty nifty.



Duck Donuts is on my list of top 10 best restaurants ever. They're positively addictive. I couldn't stop.



I think the last photo might be my favorite ever - milk, corn, hamburgers, and a gun. Seriously, you can't get more American than that. Especially when the plate belongs to a Mongolian.



The beach is exhausting (and, yes, I'm actually posting a photo of myself, such things happen rarely, but I'm so happy there's a picture of T sleeping by my side).

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!! HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AND DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE LENSBABY GIVEAWAY!!

Things to Do - LAND OF NOD $50 GIFTCARD GIVEAWAY!

First of all, congratulations to Claudia, the winner of Land of Nod's super-cool ride on excavator. As I mentioned last Monday, the girls CAN NOT stop fawning/fighting over the Land of Nod Christmas catalog, particularly the doll section, which is crazy impressive, both in quality and quantity.

Lucky for us, Land of Nod graciously let the girls pick a few dolls to review. F picked Kiki and Bertie, who have practically become family members. They go everywhere with us. And P chose Suzy Q and Oliver the Elephant, who alternate between acting as P's "best friends ever" and spending the day chilling out on her bed with the rest of her ever-growing stuffed animal family. Suzy Q and SpaceBear always seem to sit next to each other, could a romance be brewing?

Since there are SO MANY dolls to choose from (click here to see the selection), Land of Nod is giving away a $50 gift card so you can choose which doll works best for you (or, if you prefer, you can choose any of the other wonderful toys in their catalog instead). I will pick a random winner on Sunday, November 18 at 9 pm EST.

In order to enter you must either:

1) comment on this post, leaving in the comments sections your name and an email address or phone number where I can contact you. THE BODY OF YOUR MESSAGE MUST INCLUDE CONTACT INFORMATION or you cannot win (because I can't find you). Even if blogger makes you enter an email address before you comment, I still need you to renter the email address in the body of your message. Understand? (if not, email me at nomonstersinmybed@gmail.com)

OR

2) "Like" No Monsters In My Bed on Facebook and leave a message on my wall indicating that you'd love to win the giftcard. (for example: "I would love to win the giftcard" will suffice).

And, if you don't win (or if you do win), don't forget there will be one more Land of Nod Xmas Giveaway next Monday. So make sure to check back in.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED, CONGRATULATIONS TO SUSAN ON WINNING THE GIFT CARD!



This is F's favorite place in the house. She can spend hours here reading
The Boxcar Children Bookshelf (The Boxcar Children Mysteries, Books 1-12) and ignoring the rest of us.

Things to Do - LAND OF NOD'S EXCAVATOR RIDE ON GIVEAWAY!!!

Do any of you remember the Sears Christmas Catalog (I'm really dating myself here)? It used to come in the fall and I would spend every day after school circling and debating over which toys I wanted from Santa. I loved that thing. Anyways, the other day I was reflecting on how, outside of Amazon and the American Girl brochure, nothing like this really exists for children today and then Land of Nod's Holiday Catalog arrived. The girls started circling stuff immediately. And list making. And sucking up to Santa.

Unlike the girls, T didn't debate different purchases. He flipped through the pages, he came across the ride on excavator and his mind was made up. No indecision. He knew what he wanted.

Luckily, I blog for Land of Nod (stop by sometime) and they asked if I wanted to hosts a few review/giveaways for the Christmas season. So T reviewed the digger calling it "awesome, really awesome." Actually, since it's arrival he's barely gotten off the thing. He spends all afternoon scooting across our kitchen floor, lost in his imagination.

So, throughout the first three weeks of November, every Monday I'll host a Land of Nod GIVEAWAY. So please check in and comment and (hopefully) win something.

This week, one lucky reader (US addresses only please) will receive a Land of Nod ride on excavator ride on (i.e. T's newest toy/obsession/love), retail valued at $119 (basically this is an amazing deal and a great Xmas present for any kid). I will pick a winner on Sunday, November 11 at 9 pm EST.

In order to enter you must either:

1) comment on this post, leaving in the comments sections your name and an email address or phone number where I can contact you. THE BODY OF YOUR MESSAGE MUST INCLUDE CONTACT INFORMATION or you cannot win (because I can't find you). Even if blogger makes you enter an email address before you comment, I still need you to renter the email address in the body of your message. Understand? (if not, email me at nomonstersinmybed@gmail.com)

OR

2) "Like" No Monsters In My Bed on facebook and leave a message on my wall indicating that you'd love to win the excavator. (for example: "I would love to win the excavator" will suffice).

_____________

This giveaway has officially ended - congratulations to Claudia (aka #3, as picked by the Random Number Generator). And, in case your wondering, each facebook entry also received a number (as did the facebook emails) so all entries were accounted for. Thanks everyone for participating!!

Things to Make - Land of Nod's Rainy Day Art Kit and GIVEAWAY!!!

I was pretty psyched when Land of Nod sent us their Rainy Day Art Kit to review, as it includes SO MANY projects - two "felt friends" to sew, two tissue paper art projects, a needlepoint kit, and animal molds with play clay. F insisted we wait until an actual rainy day to open the box (she's very literal). When the first rainy day finally arrived we had the girls' cousin, C, over for a playdate; this made me a little nervous as all the projects come in packs of two, but I figured that the box included enough projects that we could make it work. F and C quickly gravitated to the tissue paper art, which was wonderful - lots of fun with little adult supervision. But P decided she wanted to try the needlepoint kit. Um, I can't sew. At all. Zip. Zilch. Nada. So we tried to learn together and it was a mess. F tried too. No success. Luckily, the "felt friends" project saved the day. On the downside, I had to help P sew her dog, as she struggled with finding the holes and keeping the stitching consistent. On the upside, this was P's favorite art project ever. She carries her new "homemade" doll ("pinkie pie") with her everywhere, explaining to everyone that she made it herself.

Finally, all three kids decided to spend thirty minutes or so sculpting animals with the play clay and cut out shapes. When I looked at the clock a whole hour and a half had gone by since we opened the box. A great morning. Even if we couldn't master the sewing.

All in all I think this is a really wonderful project box, with 1-2 kids it could last a whole day. If you want to win one for your family please either (1) like me on facebook and leave a message on my facebook wall saying hi OR (2) leave a message in the comments section listing your favorite winter activity with kids, MAKE SURE TO include your email address in parentheses at the end of the message (so I can contact you). The contest ends at 8 pm eastern time on Monday December 12. Winners will be chosen on December 13th via random drawing (T picks names out of a bowl).

Things to Make - Land of Nod's "I'm Not Bored Anymore" Art Jar GIVEAWAY!!!!!

When Land of Nod contacted me about the possibility of hosting a review and giveaway at first I was elated (yay! free stuff, we love free stuff!). But then I became somewhat hesitant. I don't want to become one of those blogs that is always hawking other people's stuff and saying things along the lines of - "today we drank yummy Minute Maid juice with our breakfast (so nutritious, I wouldn't drink any other kind) then we packed up our safe, wonderful Odyssey mini-van so we could stay for free at the Ramada, which was seriously the best hotel ever." On the other hand, I work hard at blog and if companies want to give me free stuff (especially stuff that appeals to my readers) I'm okay with that. All of this is just to say that I promised myself that when it came to reviewing the "I'm Not Bored Anymore" jar I would be honest. If we hated it, well, then we hated it.

Luckily, the jar was a HUGE HIT. F actually called it "the coolest thing I've ever done" (seriously? even better than Disney? why do I even try?). The jar's magic apparently stems from the fact that it lets kids create on their own terms. Nobody is telling them what to do, yet at the same time they're being provided with all the "tools" that kids love - a whole jar full of confetti, googly eyes, glitter, pipe cleaners, pom poms, funky scissors, wood knobs, beads, foam shapes, felt letters, brightly-colored paper plates (these were a huge hit), etc. Even T had a blast "I like it mommy, I like it" (the jar is recommended for kids 6 and over but T scoffs as such age restrictions).

We now take out the jar every few days, as it has become our solution to those after-school BLAHs. And I really enjoy seeing the -sometimes odd - stuff my kids come up with - F decided to make her own "I spy" letter picture (I hate to be a downer, but the letters were pretty easy to spy), P created all these beautiful drawings with glitter details, and T lined up balls and pom poms in little rows. On the downside, the jar comes with glue and glitter-glue but we quickly ran out, so I'd make sure to have some extra around (extra scissors and scotch tape also proved helpful).

Anyways, if you'd like to buy one, they're available here for $29 (Land of Nod also sells a "junior" version for $24.95). Or if you'd like to WIN one, please either (1) "like" me on facebook then leave a message on my wall saying whatever you want to say (maybe write "i want to win!"?) OR (2) post a comment to this post stating your favorite rainy day activity. The giveaway ends one week from today on November 22nd. All entries must have a United States address for shipping.

HAVE A GREAT TUESDAY EVERYONE!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW OFFICIALLY CLOSED! CONGRATULATIONS TO CATHI FOR WINNING THE JAR!!!