May 4th, 2012

WonderWorld Toys

A lot of Moms (myself included) look to add a variety of eco-friendly, non-toxic, green toys to their kids’ toy repertoire.

Yet, without a standard for such toys, there is a little bit of ‘buyer beware’. Because you may do a search for ‘green toys’ on Amazon.com, and this will come up.

Kermit the Frog

Which is probably a bit too much of a literal interpretation…….

What you want to be looking for are for toys that are made from companies, and with materials, that are environmentally-friendly and kid-friendly.

Like this rattle (Spacy) from Wonderworld Toys.

Wondertoys

Wonderworld Toys’ packaging is at least 70% recycled materials and toys have non-toxic paint and no harmful plastics, if any plastic at all. They also operate with a social giving and fair trade mission.

Wonderworld Toys are also made from Rubber Trees, and for each tree they use, two get planted in place thereof. Like this toy (called the Wonder Fishing Game), also from Wonderworld Toys.

Wondertoys

 

So the next time you do a search for toys on the internet, make sure your search terms include companies like Wonder World Toys - and not terms that may result in this:

Missy Piggy and Kermit

And check out the entire Wonderworld Toy line, on their website or on sites like Amazon or YoYo, for fabulous toys from an environmentally-friendly and kid-friendly company. They even have a chart on their site that helps you pick toys based on age or pretend play vs. educational. Very easy to find something appropriate for a birthday party gift or a holiday present.

If you leave a comment below, one of you will win the Wonder Fishing Game featured above.

Wonder Fishing Game is not only loads of fun but educates children on color recognition as well as counting. Children use the wooden rod to hook the fish that match the color on the dice. Whoever hooks the most fish is the winner, and it is great for kids 3-4 years old. It’s made in Thailand from environmentally friendly rubberwood and strictly uses Non-Toxic Paints, Dyes and Lacquers, and Formaldehyde Free Glue. Packaging is made from at least 70% recycled paper too.

Needless to say, you’ll be hooked on the game….and the company too.

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Rules: (Gotta have them)

+Leave a comment about this post; US entrants welcome. Include your name and email in the appropriate fields so I can contact you if you win. (Including just first name or first name + last initial is OK!). For your safety, please do not put your email in the actual comment. Anonymous or SPAM-like comments will be discarded. Entry period closes at 11:59PM ET, Tuesday, May 25, 2012.

+ + One lucky winner (drawn randomly via “And the Winner is” WordPress plugin) will receive a code for a 30 day supply of Premama. No substitutions and the winner will be notified directly via e-mail who has roughly 48 hours to respond and claim their prize. They then will be listed back at this post using first name only.

+++A minimum of 5 people must enter in order for the Giveaway to occur. Winner must comply with all rules mentioned here, or a new winner will be selected. Charlene Chronicles has the final decision on the winner and is not responsible for wrong email addresses or notification being tagged as spam. Prize will be fulfilled by the Third Party mentioned in this post and any issues with prize fulfillment shall be directed to said Third Party and Charlene Chronicles is not responsible for said prize fulfillment. Entry into this giveaway/contest means you agree to all the terms listed in this post and the full legal disclosures found here.

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Image Credit: Wonder World Toys (used with permission). Kermit used with Attribution Creative Commons License from Purpleslog, and Miss Piggy/Kermit used with Attribution Creative Commons License from Tess Milligan, on Flickr

Disclosure: I received the Spacy Rattle as compensation for my post. However, all thoughts, opinions and words are my own.

CategoryContests and Giveaways, Parenting Ideas and Advice | Comment10 Comments »

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May 3rd, 2012

What to Get Mom for Mother’s Day

I was going to do a “Mother’s Day Gift Roundup”, or something similar. You know, provide suggestions on flowers, jewelry, pampering and more to give you ideas on what to get your wife or own Mother for Mother’s Day.

But if your Mom is anything like my Mom, save the receipt on that jewelry because she probably will want to return it. If you have siblings, it is also best to coordinate with them too, because if you all send flowers, her house may look like a funeral home. So I’m the first to always say – just get a SpaWeek gift card. There aren’t too many women who don’t like to get a massage or mani/pedi. It is a pretty safe bet.

But if you really want to give something different this year, and it’s for a Mom who has young children, then this is the gift to give. When I saw it, I knew that I wasn’t going to do a Mother’s Day Roundup because you only need this.

So I hope you watched the video because one of you will win all of the Hallmark items featured above. Just use the form to enter! Good luck!

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CategoryContests and Giveaways, Home | Comment22 Comments »

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April 23rd, 2012

Heart of Haiti and How to Teach Children to Give Back

Heart of Haiti NecklaceAs a mom to a toddler, we haven’t gotten to the age, or stage, where I’ve been able to share with him my thoughts and actions on social responsibility. Yet, just because he is two, and wouldn’t understand, I can still start setting the foundation in the following ways. Here are my four “T”s:

1. Take them with you: The more your child sees you drop off donations or volunteer a school fair, it will provide an understanding, early on, that their family cares about other people.

2. Talk about what you do and why: They may not comprehend, but at some point they will. And they will remember that it is something you have been doing (and talking about) every month or every holiday.

3. Teach basic manners: Sometimes it can just be the simple things that sets the stage for a child to be giving. That can be teaching them to say please and thank you, or opening a door for an older individual.

4. Turn to books or other media outlets to find projects to follow and learn from. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. It can be a discussion about the locally sustainable coffee or the necklace with the red ribbon.

For example, Macy’s has partnered with organizations, like the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, to create the Heart of Haiti. The Heart of Haiti is a program where Macy’s sells certain products that employs over 750 artists in Haiti. This employment provides financial benefits for an estimated 8,500 Haitians. It is not a handout, but rather a way to build the economy and the confidence of the people there.

Heart of Haiti products are available exclusively online at Macy’s.com, and most items range from $25-$60. Each item is a one-of-a-kind design and handmade by a Haitian master artisan from raw materials such as recycled oil drums, wrought iron, papier-mâché and stone. The collection features more than 40 home decor items including quilts, metalwork, ceramics, jewelry and paintings and is made almost entirely from recycled and sustainable items such as old cement bags, cardboard, oil drums and local gommier wood. So not only does it help provide a stable economic environment, it also supports the actual environment. (A double educational effort.)

You can also check out video of Everywhere’s Travels to the Heart of Haiti at http://bit.ly/hohtrip. Even just sitting down and watching the video with your child, is a step forward to teaching our children to have heart themselves.

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I received a complimentary Heart of Haiti necklace from the Macy’s collection. (Pictured above.) It inspired this post, and thus all thoughts, ideas, options and content is my own.

For more information on Heart of Haiti, follow @HeartofHaiti on Twitter or like the Heart of Haiti on Facebook. 

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April 19th, 2012

Foodler Review

With a new baby on the way, I’m not going to want to cook in those early days after the baby is born. But since the hubby (who doesn’t know how to cook) and my toddler (who would burn the house down) need to eat, I’m kinda stuck.

Other than relying on family and friends to drop off sustenance (hint, hint) without staying for a visit (double hint), I’m going to be scrambling for food. There is always takeout, but you usually have to drive somewhere to pick it up. Which kinda defeats the time-saver-factor since I’ll have to get two kids under 2 in the car to do so. I could order pizza delivery, but I have a feeling that after the third time, we would get a bit bored with that. I mean, there are only so many toppings. I could get prepared meals at some specialty places, but that still requires some cooking. So I need another option to add to my post-pregancy repertoire – where food, good healthy food, can be delivered to my door and I just have to put it on the table.

When I was offered a $15 credit to review Foodler.com, an online delivery website, I jumped at the chance.

For future research of course. Ahem.

All in all, once you get the hang of it, it is a pretty nifty site and service. I think it is especially suited to new parents, or parents with young children who would like to go out to eat on occasion. Yet, the thought of schlepping all the gear to the restaurant (boosters, diapers, toys, wipes) in hope that the kiddos won’t throw tantrums, makes most of us just make mac & cheese (again.)

So here is my full video review on how it works and what I think about it. What do you think? Would you try it?

CategoryHealth and Fitness | Comment1 Comment »

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April 17th, 2012

Quick Zip Sheet Review

Changing crib sheets can be such a pain! Especially when the mattress is on the lowest setting. Trying to reach in to get the mattress, taking the sheet off and then putting it back on, is a challenge. Then add the fact that us Moms often have to do all of this in the middle of the night if our baby spits up or our toddler pees through their diaper.

When, I was asked to try out a crib sheet system called the Quick Zip by Clouds and Stars, I jumped at the chance. Especially being seven months pregnant at the time of this review, I really need an easier sheet changing solution.

All you have to do is put on the one-time base (you may want to take it off every couple of months to give it a clean), and then anytime you want to change the crib sheet, you just zip off and on a new sheet top.

Here is a three minute video to show you how it works.

All in all, I really liked it. I wish the price point was a bit more affordable, but considering it is a lot less hassle than a standard sheet, I personally would spend a bit more to have a few in my nursery. This speaks from a Mom who has been changing crib sheets for 2.5 years now and is about to change a lot more.

The starter set (a base and one zip top) starts at $39.99 for the standard cotton. Then you will need a separate zip top, which at full retail starts at $21.99. In essence, for two sheet changes, it will cost $60 compared to other crib sheets that are about $30 for two pairs. Yet, these sheets are made in India out of a fine cotton blend, and you can mix and match. So you can put a pink zip top on a green base or put a blue flannel zip top for winter on top of a white organic cotton base. (If you look around the internet, you may find them at a lower cost.)

I would also consider purchasing the zip-able mattress pad if you want a mattress pad for your crib mattress. That way, it is easy to change both in the middle of the night! The mattress pad starts at $19.99.

While it is hard to see in the video, the zipper sits within a flap/pocket so it is safe for little hands and feet. The only issue to watch out for is that some toddlers, at some point, may figure out there is a zip and start unzipping the sheet topper. However, my toddler, and the young children of many of my friends, can’t zip up his own coat yet, so it’s really is a minor worry. At a minimum, you probably will have gotten a good 2 years out of the sheets before that would possibly happen. The regular crib sheets we have owned had a shorter life span because the elastic, that grips the mattress, stretched out and no longer gripped so we have had to replace them every 6 months. So these Quick Zips may be a greater start up investment, but you won’t have to buy as many sheets over time; with the old adage, you get what you pay for, kind of thing.

They come in standard colors like pink, blue, sage and white, and a couple of classy patterns, as well as different fabric options like organic, flannel and poly mink. In addition to the crib sheets, they also have pack-n-play zip sheets, and twin bed zip sheets (perfect for those potty training days and months!)

If you can swing it, I would get a starter set and try it out. Then I have a feeling you will be purchasing more. (Like I will be doing for baby number two.)

And congrats to the winner(s) of the prize pack!

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CategoryParenting Ideas and Advice | Comment60 Comments »

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April 17th, 2012

Mosquito Mayhem

Last year we redesigned our backyard. However, by the time we were done, it was August and we didn’t get to enjoy much of it during the short New England summer. Yet, what made it really unusable, were all the mosquitoes that came out around the time we would want to enjoy a summer dinner outside. We left scrambling for cover as little blood sucking missiles bombarded us.

This year, we are looking into some sort of mosquito slauder machine. Thus, if you have an affinity for mosquitos and knats, and perhaps belong to PETM (“People for the Ethical Treatment of Mosquitoes) I suggest you don’t read any further as there is a lot of talk about bug carnage in this post.

So on we go then…….

There seems to be two kinds of mosquito eliminators. There are the bug gas chambers, as I call them. Those spray some sort of chemical into the backyard that is supposed to kill and repel the little critters. They can be pretty expensive & I’m not sure about the chemical/environmental aspect. Then there is the bug electric chair (aka bug zapper). We had one growing up and I remember many summer nights playing outdoors while the sound of bugs getting fried filled the air. Ah, the memories. Why should I deprive my kids of that experience?

I went to Amazon.com and started looking at what was available and what has received great reviews. There is one product called the Flowtron. I loved the name since it seems like a cool summer futuristic movie, but what made me look into the product was the fact that it has gotten over 700 reviews and has 4 stars. Hmmm.

One reviewer, Liquify33, refers to the Flowtron as the murder machine, but gave some practical advice and advised to route an extension cord and plug it in where you want to hear bugs being zapped mercilessly.

RenoJ, who proclaims himself to be a Redneck, loves sitting on his southern porch drinking beer in the dark and watching the bug zapper. He even left his beer to write his Amazon review as he was really impressed with the total bug carnage he witnessed while sitting with a cold one.

Chappy was a bit more practical and advised future owners to be prepared for a pile of dead bugs under the zapper, with only occasional need to blow out with an air compressor. (Phew, I was worried about having to clean it.)

F. Rabi gave valuable advice too. S/he suggests putting it away from your seating area because it will attract and kill so many insects that if it is near you, you will get covered. I also like the parenting part of his/her review with the concern that the zapping noises it makes, as it kills, can be intimidating to young kids.

Marty even suggested that Starship Troopers need one of these Flowtrons. (See, I told you it sounded like a movie). He also gave real advice about keeping it away from the seating area since the the zapper can smell a bit when burning the big ones.

Even if the previous reviews haven’t convinced you yet, then this review from Max Mitchell may seal the deal because he finds it great summer entertainment and even pulled up a few lawn chairs and watched it for hours striking bugs to the ground and watching sparks fly. He’s nicknamed his zapper ‘Old Sparky’.

So if you want to experience total bug carnage this summer, this seems to get …errr…..glowing reviews.

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While Charlene really hates mosquitoes, and is seriously considering a bug zapper, this post is not meant to offend any bug lovers or cause mass Mosquito destruction. Okay, well, maybe a little bit on the latter. Charlene does not endorse nor is Charlene under any directive by Flowtron. Though the glowing blue light can be hypnotic. Every family needs to decide if they want to swat, spray, or zap. Or better yet, Charlene suggests just staying indoors all summer in the air conditioning or moving to the city as either option seems more civilized all around.

 

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April 13th, 2012

Dr. Panda Teach Me! App Review

Dr. Panda App Screen ShotHere is another cool iPhone/iPad app for your toddler or preschooler to try out. It’s called Dr. Panda Teach Me! by Tribe Play.

The general premise of the app is that Dr. Panda (a lovable, fluffy cartoony-kind of Panda) visits four different lands (Meadow, Jungle, Farm and the Arctic) where he meets different animals that live in those areas. There are animal sounds and ways to interact with the animals. The target age range for this app is 2-5 years old.

My son is 2.5 so he is on the younger side for this app. Whenever I review an app with an age range like this, I always look for ‘game growth’. That is, he may be interested in something about the app now, but when he is 4 or 5, a good app will have ‘grown with him’ so he will still be interested in the activity, but just in a different way. Even if an app is free, I like to see that interactive ability over months and not just minutes.

So one afternoon, after nap time, I sat him down with a snack, and the new app, to see how long he would play with it, and what would draw his interest.

We tried it on the iPhone first, but he was a bit frustrated and I could see why. The image is really dense so it is hard for a younger child to hit a little object – including the arrow that would take him to the next screen. (Even when I tried pressing the arrow to advance, it didn’t work for me until I realized, despite the fact the arrow urges you to push it, in actuality, you swipe the screen to advance.)

We faired a bit better on the iPad. The lands are where he spent most of his time as each object he would touch would activate in some way: touch the frog and it would jump in the pond, touch the birds and they would tweet, touch the barn doors and chickens would run out. (He would laugh as you can see from this video.)

So he really liked this part of the app. I liked it because we could play together. I would ask him to touch the elephant, the giraffe, the sheep so it was a good educational opportunity. Though I wish the app would also identify the animals on its own.

He figured out how to get into the educational aspect of the the app – numbers and puzzles for example. He liked the numbers, as butterflies would fly and the Panda would count, but the most of these ‘teach me’ sections were too advanced for him. In a year, it could be something in which he would engage though.

I did find the music to be a bit annoying after awhile. It never changed. Since my son can’t exactly comment on his thoughts on the matter, it may not bother kids under five. As a parent, I feel like I have a pretty high tolerance these days, but in this case, I wished I could mute it. But as Moms, we often deal with worse things.

The one thing I did really like was that it was easy to change to a different language. For example, when the butterflies were forming numbers, I could switch to Dutch, and Dr. Panda start counting numbers in that language. Yet, it was really limited in selection. For example, I was surprised not to see Spanish as an option.

The Dr. Panda app is certified by the KidSAFE® seal program, which is a new “seal of approval“ program that independently reviews and certifies the safety practices of children-friendly websites and applications. They don’t review the quality or age-appropriateness of the application, but they do review and certify these products for “interactive” and “online” safety. So, the Dr. Panda app passes this test!

There is a Free Lite version if you want to check it out before purchasing the full version.

The full version is available on iTunes for $1.99 at the time of this publication. Despite the fact that underneath the title of the app it states ‘for iPad 2 and iPhone 4′, this app does work on older models of the iPhone, iPad and iTouch, but you definitely need to have the latest Apple OS. Otherwise, the apps will crash.

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I purchased the app on my own. However, I did receive compensation for my time, but all thoughts and opinions (of my son and me) are our own.

CategoryTechnology | Comment2 Comments »

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April 10th, 2012

Baby Brezza

In my immediate family, there are a lot of babies that are going to be born in the next couple of months. I recently threw a baby gender reveal party to celebrate the pending arrival of our bundle of joy, but my brother and sister-in law are expecting their own bundle shortly after mine. Their bundle, however, will be a lot larger.

They are expecting identical twin girls.

Double the trouble. Double the work. Double the love. Double the budget. So it made sense that these two needed some help in preparing for the new two arrivals.

Baby Brezza 2

So they were super excited to open their pre-baby shower present and see the BPA-free Baby Brezza One Step Baby Food Maker. It both steams and blends healthy, homemade food. Whether it’s smooth purees for babies to chunkier textures for toddlers, it later functions as a great steamer or blender for the whole family.

Making your own baby food can save you 50% over the cost of having to buy prepared baby food in the stores. If you have another mouth to feed, then the savings are even greater. I am still a fan of Happy Baby, Ella’s Kitchen and GoGo Squeez, but the costs can add up. When you have twins, double the cha-ching. So primarily relying on making homemade is the most economical route. So even though their girls won’t be trying pureed peas or steamed green beans until they are 6 months old, it pays to be prepared. Plus, making your own food negates the quick trips to the store, and the knowledge that you know what ingredients you are giving your baby (or in their case, babies.)

So if you know of a couple expecting multiples or even a Mom expecting one baby, this gift will stand out from the onsies and baby socks. This gift will keep on giving – long after the baby(ies) grow out of the sleep-sack given by Aunt Mary. (And check out the other Baby Brezza products, like formula dispenser or electric water kettle too.)

All in all, these soon-to-be new parents are really excited to use the Baby Brezza in a few months! (Now, if only I could gift them some sleep…)

Baby Brezza

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Disclaimer: I received no compensation or product for this post, but got to put a huge smile on the faces of my brother and sister-in-law (which is priceless.) The product provided was given by Baby Brezza Enterprises and MomSelect.

CategoryParenting Ideas and Advice | Comment1 Comment »

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March 22nd, 2012

Tiny Love

I love Tiny Love – a baby gear company that gets Mom-hood, and I am so excited they participated in our Gender Reveal Twitter party.

I first learned about Tiny Love, like most of us Moms, when I had my first child. The very first thing that we bought was Follow Me Fred; before we bought a crib, clothes and the myriad of other things you need for a new baby, this was the first thing we brought home. (I’m still really sentimental about it.)

Then I bought an Tiny Love activity mat (Gymini Monkey Island) that the was the best thing for the first year of his life. I still have it.

See?

But in the 3 years since I first discovered Tiny Love, they have totally taken their products to the next level. How? Because they listened to Moms like us to make the gear even more splendicious. These are things that new Moms don’t think of. But once you’ve “been there, done that”, you know how the littlest features can actually make your life so much better.

I got a first hand look at their line when I was at Toy Fair 2012. Their new bouncer, the Princess Gymini Bouncer (as well as the gender neutral version), took into the account the biggest complaint Moms’ had about bouncers: you have to angle your baby in order to get them in and out of the bouncer because of the crossbar. But Tiny Love made two side bars that are adjustable. So you can bring them in for baby to play or push them out to get the baby out. Plus, the hanging toys can slide up and down the bars as the baby gets older. No baby frustration! (And as a result, no Mom meltdowns.)

The activity mat is similar. The cross bars are adjustable so you can lower them down (without having to dislodge them) to get baby in and out. You can leave it lower for newborns to reach or raise it higher as baby grows. The mat itself is extra cushy compared to other activity mats and it is easy to take off the bars, roll it up and bring it to grandma and grandpa’s house.

Tiny Love also has stroller toys, soothers, activity toys and mobiles with special touches that make the function, as well as the form, superior to similar products on the market. Like this musical take along mobile (I’ve got to get this). You can easily attach it to a crib, a stroller, a play yard, a bouncer, a car seat (when the car seat is not in the car) – one product that you can use in 5 different ways. (Genius.) During the Gender Reveal Twitter Party we gave away a Tiny Love Soothe ‘n Groove Mobile. Perfect for a variety of cribs, but later (with its built in handle) it’s fabulous for your toddler to carry around and play with. (So smart to have a product that can grow with your child!)

So if you are going to a baby shower or having a baby yourself (even if it’s your second or third!) then check out Tiny Love. Magic Beans carries most of the line, as well as other online retailers!

Really.

CategoryParenting Ideas and Advice | Comment2 Comments »

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