One of our ITKM contributors, Jennifer, has a little one that is obsessed with buckles. Why aren’t there any modern and dare I say, cute buckle toys out there? So many cheesy, bulky and expensive toys, with buckles just slapped on them. I decided to run my search on etsy (love that site) and found some adorable and portable buckle toys by a shop called Claspy. They have three patterns to choose from and the fabric rolls into a small roll that closes by a button (yet another technique for little fingers). You can choose from two styles, either the two buckles and a velcro tab or the two buckles and a thread to sew with. One better for younger and the other better for a little older. Better yet is the $10 and $12 price tags! Check out her adorable creations here. Great toy for long car rides or flights.

The Hippity Hop ball takes many of us back to our childhoods.  This kid favorite is sure to be a crowd pleaser.  A simple ball with handles transforms into hours of hopping fun.  Dippy Dop sells a range of fun hoppers from balls to animal shapes.  Not only will these hoppers expel a lot of that excessive energy, but they also require the use of imagination.  Many games can be thought up for these Hippity Hops.

The Hoppers come in two different variations and ages.  The more stable animal hoppers can for for kids ages 3 and up, like this bunny and reindeer here.  How insanely cute are they?  And both would be great toys for Christmas and Easter holidays!

The next generation of hoppers are the balls with handles.  These require a little more skill, balance, and thought.  The recommended age for these hoppers is 6 and up.  Kids/adults up 220 lbs.  Here we have the classic Dippy Dop Hopper and the Oobi Baby Super 70′s Space Hopper.  Both come in a wide variety of colors. Blow them up big or small.  We received the new ALIEN hopper that appears to not be for sale yet, so look forward to that release!

Purchase your own Hoppers from Cute-ture.com

Special Thanks to Dippy Dop for supplying sample hoppers for review.

First off, my daughter is clinically obsessed with this DVD, so parents be aware!  Nickelodeon recently sent us the HAPPY HALLOWEEN DVD new for the season.  The DVD features all the favorites: Dora, Diego, Wonder Pets, Yo Gabba Gabba, Blue’s Clues, and Kai-lan.  Each beloved character gets their own episode on the DVD, keeping the DVD flowing and your child INTERESTED.  Believe me.  My daughter has refused to watch much else during naps for about a week.  I think it may be intervention time.  I watched the DVD with her all the way through and I really loved the DVD, even the episodes of characters we don’t watch like Diego and Wonder Pets.

A really exciting side effect of the movie is an extreme glee for the upcoming Halloween season.  My daughter will not stop talking about what she wants to dress up as (Kobe Bryant, then mermaid, then witch)… yes I said Kobe Bryant.  She likes the Lakers, what can I say?  So as a mom who really likes to get into holidays and seasonal changes, slight as they are in Palm Springs, I’m thrilled that she is pumped up.

So my recommendation to all parents of preschoolers is to purchase this DVD for just $12.99.  All new, never seen before episodes of all of their favorites.  Over two hours of educational entertainment.  Show them now to get them amped up for the upcoming holiday, or keep it for a Halloween treat!  This DVD is a new release available for purchase tomorrow, 8/24/10.

My daughter watching her favorite Halloween DVD for the 7th time:

Special thanks to Nickelodeon for providing a sample DVD for review.

Welcome to the adorable world of Tynies, tiny glass figurines.  These highly collectible little animals are super adorable.  Way classier than that Beanie Baby craze.  These cute little guys are small enough to grow a large collection and not overrun your house.  They are so tiny, in fact, that these collectibles are for ages 8 and up.  Please keep these toys away from your younger tots.

Each figurine is handmade so the colors and shape may vary.  They started out with 40 different styles in 2008, and since then have added more 3 times a year.  See some of the newest editions for fall 2010 up top.  Each character comes with a 3 letter name.  How they’ve managed to come up with so many 3 letter names is beyond me.  These make great gifts for older children who love animals and love to collect.  And how easy to pick out presents on the next upcoming holidays… simply grow their current collection!

Create your own world with Tynies! To find a retailer near you, click on over to here.

Special thanks to Tynies for providing samples for review purposes.

One of my favorite plush companies, miYim, has launched my favorite collection ever.  This organic company released a trio of plushes in honor of Jane Goodall.  Unless you’ve been living under a rock for your entire life, you already know about Jane Goodall’s contributions and sacrifices for the animal kingdom, specifically primates.  Visit the Jane Goodall Institute online.

“People, animals and the environment are all connected.  The Jane Goodall Wild Animal Collection was created with this core value in mind.  These thoughtful and realistic looking animals are made from natural cotton that has been untreated, unprocessed, and unbleached and colored with miYim’s PureWaterWash^TM process using only plants and minerals, making this toy a safe alternative to toys made with environmentally damaging processes.  A part of the proceeds from each toy will go to the Jane Goodall Institute, founded by renowned primatologist Jane Goodall.  The Jane Goodall Institute is a global nonprofit that empowers people to make a difference for all living things.”

The plushes, a hippo, a gorilla, and a lion, are all incredibly soft organic plushes.  My daughter fell instantly in love with them and likes to use them as mini pillows… that’s how soft they are!  I love the details in the animals, from the hippo’s nose (snout?) to the gorilla’s face and chest.  And since they are made with the environment in mind, you can feel good about purchasing these eco-friendly friends. Purchase your own plushes from miYim.

Special thanks to miYim for providing samples plushes for review purposes.

Olas Books are a fantastic find.  They are geared towards the ever popular surfing and skateboarding sports.  They use bright colorful graphics and fun rhyming words to teach your kids about safety.  As fun as these sports are, it’s important that we teach our kids right from the start about being cautious. No one is a fan of the emergency room.

When we teach our kids to surf, it is incredibly important that they respect the ocean, because the ocean can be a powerful and unpredictable place.  Before they put their toes to the nose, they need to stop and watch the ocean for at least 10 minutes.  Once the swells are assessed, and rip tides ruled out, it’s safe for the kiddos to attempt to catch a wave. Skateboarding can be just as dangerous if you do not take the right precautions.  Always, always wear a helmet and pads, no matter what anyone says.  Peer pressure can be tough for kids to handle!  These books are wonderful tools for parents, a bookshelf staple.

“We want kids to have fun, but most of all to be safe,” says auther, Diaz. “As a surfer and a parent, these are my biggest concerns.  I want my son to surf and to be safe.”

The books also teach our kids to protect our Earth by keeping our beaches, oceans, and parks litter free.  Proving their dedication, the books are printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks.

Portions of all proceeds  go to the Surfrider Foundation, a non-profit, environmental organization that works to protect our oceans, waves, and beaches.

Purchase your own Olas Books here

Thanks to Olas Books for providing samples for review.

I’m so excited to be able to contribute to the Family Game Night postings here at ITKM for the fifth installment. Haba‘s “Keep it steady!” is a game similar to the old “Pick Up Sticks” game from when we were little. You bunch all the colored sticks together and place the wooden ring around them to stand them up. You get it all steady and then it’s time to play! With 2 – 4 people, you simple roll the dice and whatever color you roll is the color stick you have to remove from the ring. Be careful though! The sticks will be wobbly and you’ll have to choose wisely in order to not send the entire bunch tumbling over.

We brought the game up to my parents place in northern Arizona, so it was fun to be in a different home and keep the TV off! We all sat around the kitchen table and our three year old was absolutely LOVING this game. Although, I swear she cheated a few times and said she rolled a yellow stick (the skinniest of all the sticks) when I thought I saw blue come up (the thickest). It was so much fun and she loved to play head-to-head with my hubby and I. Winner would get to play the person who sat out the game before. It never seemed to get old and the pieces are made of thick, durable wood. This game is guaranteed to last a lifetime. It’s the perfect game to leave in the game room for generations to come. You can purchase your own “Keep it steady!” game by Haba here.

Rolling her dice……..carefully concentrating while picking her stick…..OH NO, it fell!!!

Special thanks to Haba for providing a sample game for review.

Have kids that are afraid of the dark, kids who like to read at night sneakily by flashlight, or are little adventurers?  Well a flashlight is the obvious solution.  But, Oy!, another thing to put batteries into.  I feel like I spend half my life recharging batteries.  And those boring flashlights don’t draw any visual interest.

Well lookie what this mom found: Ecotronic flashlights.  These flashlights require no batteries, they’re squeeze-powered.  Simply pump the side wing that pops out and the little guy will shine for hours on end.  I was so surprised at how long they actually stay lit up.  I turned them off before they quit, hours after the last pump!  And look how adorable they are, coming in a range of animals from farm to zoo.

My daughter is slightly afraid of the dark, but weren’t we all (and a little still)?  Her newest nighttime fear is the dragon.  I don’t have the heart to tell her yet that dragons don’t exist, so I figured out another plan. Her flashlight is dragon-proof !  Now she can sleep soundly again.  With a couple pumps of the flashlight, the dragon magically disappears… POOF! Even during the day she runs around with the flashlights, shining them on books, the walls, making games out of them. They come with little wrist straps, making it easy for them to tote them around.  Check out the Farm and Zoo editions.  Order your own awesome eco-friendly and monster-unfriendly flashlights here from International Playthings. This is the one “light up” toy that I don’t mind.

Erin: My daughter has gained courage and a new sense of adventure from her Ecotronic flashlight. She’s petrified of the dark, we have three nightlights in her room. Her latest thing is that “Randall” (from Monsters Inc.) hides in her closet and in the dark rooms of the house. So, she refuses to go anywhere unless we hit all the lights. With her flashlight she actually demanded that we turn off ALL the lights in the entire house and she roamed the house by herself watching the flashlight on the wall and to guide her around. If she has a bad dream, she’ll sneak over to our room in the middle of the night and this flashlight is perfect to help her find her way (and not trip over a cat). She was so cute, she wanted her bedtime story to be told to her using only her flashlight. You can see what a great amount of light it provides. Even the nose lights up so there are two light sources from the flashlight. LOVE!

Thank you to Ecotronic and International Playthings for providing samples to review.

Time for family game night again!  Today I am bringing you my 4th installment… Arranging Game Corner to Corner from Haba.  This brightly colored wooden game is quite a bit like Tetris in shape forms.  This game is all about imagination; what can you build?  My daughter is quite into building things right now with blocks, mostly castles since we’re in princess land.  I thought this game would be perfect for her and her age group.  Haba recommends this game to ages 3 and up.  The parts are quite small, so I’d keep an eye out on the little ones.  The game includes 62 wooden pieces of two shapes of wood, an “I” and a “L”… getting Nintendo flashbacks?

First, my daughter just did some free playing, sorting the pieces by shape and color.  Then lining them up, stacking them, and making small “castles”.  She got a little frustrated when pieces started falling so I helped her make the flat house.  Haba gives you several ideas of what to make from animals to windmills.  It was fun to do it together, helping each other.  This game would be great for kids who have issues with “winning and losing”… or for only children.  As usual, Haba brings us another safe, quality game, made in Germany.  You can purchase your own “Eck an Eck” or Corner to Corner game here.

Special thanks to Haba for providing a sample game for review.

One of my favorite things about kids is their unique imaginations.  They have no reservations about telling you their vivid, and sometimes quite wacky, stories.  Pacific Play Tents was formed out of an idea that we all had as kids.  Let’s go back in time and remember the good ol’ forts that we made as young whippersnappers.  They consisted of just high-backed kitchen chairs and sheets… and they were awesome.  The folks behind PPT took these fond memories and ran with them, creating a whole town of play tents.  From School House to Fire House, they have replicated all our favorites.  Through the “doggy doors” you can connect the tents with tunnels!  Imagine the little towns you can set up for yoursel…er… your kids. The tents are easily wiped down for easy cleaning.  This is a great thing because one, kids are messy, and two, you can set these tents up outside!  Take a peek at all the different set ups you can buy and create here at PPT.

When Pacific Play Tents entered our world, it was like it was her birthday and Christmas all rolled into one.  My daughter could not wait for the Cottage Play House Tent to be set up, which was super easy by the way.  The tent is set up much like a regular tent, with a color-coded connecting pole frame and vinyl covering.  Once it was set up, there was no turning back.  She flew into the tent, dragging me in with her, literally.  Next came Simon the cat in through the “doggy door”.  She set up areas in the tent to make it homey.  Her chair was pulled in with books. Snacks, pillows and blankets followed, and then a drawing station of paper and colored pencils.  It was just so fun to watch her play and she had a blast even by herself.  After nap time, the first thing she said to me was, “I love my tent, momma,” which was mighty reassuring.  She bolted upstairs with some of her favorite plush friends and a tea set for, what else, a tea party! I can NOT wait until some of her girlfriends come to town to play in there with her.  Durable, pleasantly colored, and surprisingly well ventilated, this tent will likely be a favorite for a long time.

What happens inside the tent?  Tea Parties! (mom candidly shooting through window)

Find out where you can buy your own products from Pacific Play Tents here.

Special thanks to Pacific Play Tents for providing a sample tent for review purposes.

We’re knee-deep in fantasy land, full of princesses, fairies, dragons, mermaids… you name it, it’s alive in our house.  My daughter loves to pretend to be anything from a ballerina to a doctor.  I love encouraging her creativity and imagination.  It is so fun to get a glimpse into her magical world. However, I’m not a big fan of cheap character costumes that often feature poor quality, itchy materials. Of course our kids will fall in love with/obsess over the classic and new characters in their favorite movies.  That’s a given.  I love the general idea of a princess or mermaid, but not a specific princess with a pre-written story.   Let’s let our kids come up with their own stories!  The ideas and story lines that are dreamed up in their tiny heads are just so adorable. They are just bursting with creative energy and I love to encourage it (and videotape it).

Fantasies are easiest to come to life with a little aid.  A Wish Come True sells a line of dreamy dress up clothing that you will love, and your kids will refuse to take off.  We had the privilege to try out a few costumes.  My daughter channels whatever she wears.  If she’s wearing a ballerina outfit, she dances all day, plies and spin jumps through the house.  When she wears a princess outfit, she curtsies all day calling me “your Highness,”which is quite nice after years of mom servitude.  I can’t wait to buy more outfits and see what she comes up with.  The mermaid and fairy outfits have already been asked for (required).

The “costumes” are extremely well made, nothing like you’d see in a costume shop down the street.  The well crafted outfits are comfortable and made from soft materials.  They are also super durable.  My daughter had no problem wearing them all day and, in fact, wanted to sleep in them.  She got away with it a couple nights.

Keep them in mind for Halloween, which will be here before you know it!  Their selection of costumes is awesome, and as I previously stated, they won’t be made of those cheap, itchy materials. Check them out here.

For our third installment of family game night, we have a Haba game called Animal Upon Animal or Tier Auf Tier.  This wobbly stacking game is super cute and perfect for kids ages 4 and up.  The parts are quite small so keep them away from little ones who like to shove foreign objects in their mouths.  It requires some delicate hand-eye coordination and problem solving thinking.  First you place the crocodile on a flat surface, as it is the first animal of the pyramid.  Each player (up to 4) selects 7 different animals for their stock pile.  The game begins with a human balance test.  The child who can balance on one foot the longest, like a flamingo, gets first turn.  They roll the die. You will either roll a dot, two dots, a crocodile, hand, or question mark.  The marking on the die determines how many animals you (or another player) must stack on top of the existing pyramid.  The person who stacks their animals first wins.  If a couple animals tumble off before a winner is announced, those animals are sent back to their owner.

This is a simple and straight forward game that requires fine motor skills, and a little skill.  I’m a big fan of balance games as my toddler grows more and more agile.  Forcing her to take the time to lightly place an animal in an appropriate spot gives me great pleasure.  This is a quick game anyone can play, taking only 15-20 minutes to play. This wooden game is crafted in Germany.  Purchase your own game here.

Here is how our game went:  The stacking started out pretty well, building higher and higher.  My daughter chose to make a lot of high-risk  moves, sometimes leading to a tumbling animal tower.  But all in all, it was a lot of fun.  She was reminded of one of her favorite songs from Yo Gabba Gabba, and started singing, “keep trying, keep trying, don’t give up, never give up…”

Thank you to Haba for providing a sample for review.