Category Archives: Toys

December 2, 2014 · 11:40 pm

Safari Ltd® Educational Toys That Teach & Giveaway!!! #HolidayGiftGuide

My seven-year old is so interested in planets and the solar system and his little brother is full of questions about the size of the sun and which planets are hot or cold. I think it’s wonderful when I can find toys that let us expand on those topics with tactile objects that will let them really see and understand the world around them. Safari Ltd. has been a leader in producing “Toys that Teach™” since 1982. Their mission is to teach children the importance of nature and conservation through the joy of imaginative play.

Safari Ltd® TOOBS® are collections of hand painted figures. There are so many collections to choose from like Ancient Rome, NYC, Sea Life, Babies, Dinosaurs, Ancient Egypt, Around The World, Coral Reef, Deep Sea Creatures, Butterflies, Arctic, Trains and so much more. TOOBS® are great to use for kids projects, for teaching, sharing, playing, collecting and so much more. TOOBS® are perfectly sized to make awesome stocking stuffers. My kids loved the Trains and NYC TOOBS® and I thought the babies TOOBS® were perfect for using in miniature scenes and especially in doll houses.

The Solar System Set from the Safariology® collection was a huge hit, my boys loved handling he planets and seeing where they were in relation to the sun and other planets. The tray has a cover that holds the planets in place when they are done so that everything stays right where it belongs.

This set includes 8 planets and the sun, all hand-painted for detail and accuracy using the latest information from astronomers. Also includes an acetate tray for display, and a blister card with educational information in English, Spanish, French, and German.

For when my guys go exploring the Safariology® Luminoculars have them covered. Made of durable ABS plastic with 3.5x magnification, a light beam that shines up to 100 feet, and a built-in compass. Now explorers can discover more, see farther away, and still find their way home! Luminoculars are available in translucent red, translucent blue, and camouflage.

You can find Safari Ltd® Toys on our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide!

Safari Ltd® is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win their choice of a regular TOOBS® set or one figure (subject to availability)! Thank you Safari Ltd® for the review products and for sponsoring this awesome giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.

Safari Ltd® Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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Filed under Christmas, Giveaway, Holiday, Main Page Post, Mommy Ramblings, Review, Toys

Tagged as #HolidayGiftGuide, Animals, Collection, Educational, Figures, giveaway, Mommy Ramblings, Safari Ltd®, Safariology, Shop, TOOB, TOOBS, Toys That Teach

November 24, 2014 · 6:08 pm

Lakeshore Learning Beginner’s Science Lab Review & Giveaway!!! #HolidayGiftGuide

Are you looking for gifts for the kids on your holiday gift list that are as much fun as they are educational? If so, you should check out Lakeshore Learning. They have a full inventory of educational and fun toys for all ages and many are on sale. You can view their Holiday Flyer and see for yourself the wide selection and great prices. Click HERE for a coupon that will save you 20% on any regularly priced item. There is also an additional coupon you can use in store and online on the back of the digital flyer!

We picked the Beginner’s Science Lab from the Holiday Flyer for our budding scientists.

The boys were thrilled to see the huge box filled with all kinds of science equipment and materials.

Building a volcano was the first project. It was very simple, there is a non-toxic paper mache mixture that you just add water to and mix with your hands. Then on some wax paper you mold into a volcano shape and form the opening. It must dry for a couple of days before you can have an eruption. Ours is drying but we will take a video and update this post in a couple of days.

Another great experiment, is the liquid layers, using pancake syrup, cooking oil and colored water, the boys observed how the colored water formed a ball that actually passed through the oil layer into the water layer. They thought that was really neat. We have some more experiments lined up for today and they are really looking forward to it.

We love this Beginner’s Science Lab so much we are adding it to our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide. Would you like a chance to win one? Great! Just enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!! Open to US Residents. Many thanks to Lakeshore Learning for the review kit and for this awesome giveaway!!!

Lakeshore Learning Beginner’s Science Lab Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings:

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Filed under Christmas, Education, Entertainment, Family, Giveaway, Holiday, Holiday Gift Guide, Main Page Post, Mommy Ramblings, Review, Sale, Shopping, Special Offers, Toys

Tagged as #HolidayGiftGuide, Beginner's Science Lab, Coupons, Educational, Experiments, giveaway, Holiday Flyer, Holiday Gift Guide, Lakeshore Learning, Learn, Mommy Ramblings, review, Save, Savings, Science, Toy, Volcano

November 21, 2014 · 5:49 pm

Star Kids, Snack & Play Travel Tray Is Perfect For Holiday Traveling!!!

The day before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year! If you are traveling over the river and through the woods by car, boat, plane or train with kids, bring lots of activities. Little ones have a harder time gauging the time it takes and lucky us if they are great sleepers in the car, but we are sure to hear at least 10 “Are we there yet?” questions. Having fun things they can do in the car can eliminate at least 5, maybe even 6 of those.

The Snack & Play Travel Tray is ideal for traveling and it is perfect to use with your car seat, on airplanes and even strollers.

The Snack & Play Travel Tray is made of a soft, durable, 100% nylon that is easy to clean. The tray easily buckles around the child or stroller, has large mesh storage pockets for all their toys and books and a 2 inch wall to stop things from rolling off the top and falling.

Star Kids Products is an innovative children’s product manufacturer that specializes in making fun and safe products for busy, traveling families. Travel tray makes a great gift. Snack & Play Travel Tray can be purchased through their retail network. You can follow Star Kids on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to stay in the know. Mommy Ramblings is adding the Snack & Play Travel Tray to our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide.

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Filed under Baby, Baby Gear, Christmas, Giveaway, Holiday, Holiday Gift Guide, Review, Toddler, Toys, USFG

Tagged as #HolidayGiftGuide, 2014, Airline, Car Seat, Car Trips, Holiday Gift Guide, Mommy Ramblings USFG, Star Kids Products, Stroller

November 20, 2014 · 12:12 am

Show Me The Kwan Word Game- Fun For Everyone

Our family loves word games, especially me and my daughter. There is always excitement over the old favorites but when there is something new, that is really exciting. Griddly Games has a fast paced, dice rolling, word game called Show Me the Kwan. It is simple to play and quick for any number of players. Kids 10 and up can play and even younger kids if they can spell simple words.

Given the chosen category the players must call out fitting words where either the first, second or last letter correspond to the lettered dice that were rolled. Each die has an assigned point value. At the end of the 1 minute round, all players must count their points on the dice they collected. Shop at Griddly Games and use the codes FREESHIP for free shipping on Kwan ONLY, or code 10FORME for 10% off their entire order.

Mommy Ramblings has added Griddly Games’ Show Me The Kwan to our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide.

Doll Houses Are Not Just For Kids!

I was introduced to the world of Lundby doll houses a little over a year ago. A doll lover and collector all my life, dolls and doll houses are something I never outgrew. I am not alone, Lundby has a wide collector base of women and men who collect the houses, furnishings, restore older houses and love to talk about and share their collections on online forums.

There are several Facebook pages where Lundby lovers and collectors do just that. Lundby is timeless, loved by children, tweens, teens and right up to adults, the charm of Lundby just grows over the years. Enjoyed by generations, Lundby love is passed down and these quality Swedish doll houses become family heirlooms. Today, you will find older Lundby doll houses in great demand and many collectors are enthusiastically restoring the older homes to their modern glory. Much more than a hobby, Lundy collectors have a passion!

Last year you may remember our review of the Lundby Smaland Doll House and accessories.

Well, this year our Lundby Smaland doll house expanded with the addition of two rooms, garden area, several new furniture sets and great Christmas sets. In fact our Lundby home is decked out or should I say the halls have been decked with Christmas magic. The floor addition was easy to assemble, my young son even got in on the action and helped to secure the walls. The house has real working lights which add a warmth and the new Christmas sets are a festive touch with a glowing fire in the fireplace and candles that light up on the tree. Under the tree, wrapped in shiny paper and gold cord are gifts and you don’t need to peek to see there is a Smaland doll house just ready to be unwrapped come Christmas morning.

The details on the furnishings are amazing, the kitchen cabinets have real working drawers that you can put things in, the refrigerator opens, the pots, pans, dishes and utensils are realistic and even the bathroom has toothbrushes and rubber ducks.

The house is sure to draw oohs and ahhs from young and old and is the perfect gift this holiday season that will bring joy for years to come. Mommy Ramblings has added the Smaland doll house and accessories to our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide. Some of the new additions to our Lundby Smaland Doll House were: Smaland Garden Lundby Smaland Floor Extension Lundby Smaland Kitchen Furniture Set Lundby Smaland Childrens Bedroom Set Lundby Smaland Fireplace Set Lundby Smaland Christmas Tree Set Smaland TV and Accessories Lundby Smaland Garden Furniture Set Of course with the new addition we had to expand the family so we welcomed two bouncing babies! The older kids needed some attention too! Sibling rivalry gets bad when a new baby is brought home, imagine two! They were so happy to have a trampoline and pedal car to focus on. Can’t get enough Lundby? You can download the Lundby Living Magazine HERE! Are you ready for some exciting news? Lundy is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their own Smaland doll house, Smaland 2 room floor extension, both of the Christmas sets and 2 sets of furniture of their choice (subject to availability)! Isn’t that awesome? I thought you would think so! Thank you so much to Lundby for the review products and for sponsoring this incredible giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents. Lundby Smaland Swedish Doll House, Extension, Christmas Sets & Furniture Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!! Continue reading →

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Filed under Christmas, Collectibles, Dolls and Dollhouses, Giveaway, Main Page Post, Review, Toys

Tagged as #HolidayGiftGuide, Accessories, Christmas, Collect, Doll, Doll House, Dolls, Furniture, giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Lundby, Miniatures, play, review, Smaland, Swedish, toys

November 11, 2014 · 11:44 pm

SentoSphere, Optical Mysteries Review & Giveaway!!! #HolidayGiftGuide

My husband is a scientist and a mathematical whiz, so I knew he would be ecstatic to delve into Optical Mysteries from SentoSphere with our boys. I was not wrong, am I ever? 😛 He poured over all the experiments and said they were very educational and interesting.

He was able to show the kids how energy from the sun can be harnessed for solar power. There were lots of fun experiments showing the effect light has on colors. Creating your own rainbow and building a kaleidoscope were other fun activities included in this kit. They are still having fun and learning every day with these great experiments.

Includes:

• 1 solar panel

• 1 spinning board

• 1 LED light box

• 1 DIY kaleidoscope

• 1 optical fibre

• 1 trick (illusion) box

• 3D glasses

• 3D pictures assortment

• 4 bottles of ink

• 1 pipette

• 1 mirror

• 1 paintbrush

• 10 optic tests

• 1 illustrated instruction leaflet

For ages 8 years and older

If you have a little scientist on your holiday gift list, you should check out Optical Mysteries. Mommy Ramblings is adding it to our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide.

Sentosphere is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their own Optical MysteriesKit. Thank you Sentosphere for the review kit and for sponsoring this illuminating giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. Open to US residents.

Sentosphere, Optical Mysteries Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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Filed under Christmas, Holiday, Holiday Gift Guide, Main Page Post, Mommy Ramblings, Toys

Tagged as #HolidayGiftGuide, giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Mommy Ramblings, Optical Mysteries, review, SentoSphere

November 7, 2014 · 4:29 pm

anaMalz Wooden Creature Review & Giveaway!!! #HolidayGiftGuide

You might just get overloaded with cuteness in this post so fair warning given. anaMalz, are the cuddliest wooden creatures you will set your eyes and hands on!. Designed by Louise Causon-Scott and her partner Tim Scott in Australia, these little heartbreakers were first brought into the world in 2007. anaMalz have legs you can move and fabric embellishments along with the cutest expressions. They open up a world of imaginative, creative play for kids and as a parent I love that!

anaMalz has won more than 15 industry awards including the Australian International design award. The poseable figures each have their own unique markings that make anaMalz unique, individual and fun to collect. anaMalz wants to give everyone a chance to help make nature grow so a part of the proceeds of every anaMalz is donated to preserving nature forever

anamalz

When you enter your registration code found on your anaMalz hang tag and become an anaMalz Guardian, you will receive a real Guardian certificate. Help anaMalz protect nature!

anaMalz Trio

anaMalz are made from a wood known as schima superba or “needlewood” (also known as Chinese Maple) – a fast growing tree harvested in a forest plantation in China. All waste wood from the manufacturing process is given to a local farm to grow mushrooms. All anaMalz are carefully hand painted using child friendly paint, tested under EN71, ASTM, CPSIA accreditation. The glues used are formaldehyde free and pass all EN71, ASTM, CPSIA testing. Fabrics are tested and have passed EN71, ASTM, CPSIA standards and contain no AZO dyes.

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anamalz-Giraffe

anaMalz-Giraffe-Figure

We have a lion, giraffe and alligator living with us and they are so much fun, we will definitely be expanding our family!!! Mommy Ramblings thinks aniMalz are a marvelous gift choice this holiday season so you will find them on our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide.

anaMalz-Alligator

anaMalz-Alligator-Figure

anaMalz-Lion

Animalz 7

Would you like to win some anaMalz? I know you do, so enter our giveaway below to win 2 anaMalz cuties and good luck!!! Thank you to anaMalz for sponsoring this giveaway and for the review animals they provided to Mommy Ramblings!!! Good Luck!!! Open to US Residents.

anaMalz Wooden animal giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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Filed under Christmas, Collectibles, Dolls and Dollhouses, Education, Family Fun, Giveaway, Holiday, Holiday Gift Guide, Main Page Post, Mommy Ramblings, Review, Toddler, Toys

Tagged as #HolidayGiftGuide, 2014, anaMalz, Animals, Creatures, Figures, Gifts, giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Mommy Ramblings, review, Wood, Wooden

October 15, 2014 · 11:39 pm

Save 30% with Exclusive Discount Code on Amazing Dream Team Pets!!!

Dream Team Pets are much more than a bedtime toy-they’re an innovative kid’s sleep aid that helps end the bedtime battles of trying to keep your child in bed. Developed with the help of a pediatrician, Dream Team Pets bedtime routine empowers kids as they reward their Pet with stickers and a certificate for a good night’s sleep.

dream pets dog

dream pets cat product

dream pets lioon

If the child wakes up from a nightmare, there are no hard feelings because the responsibility is on their Pet, but when they successfully sleep in their own bed, the kids feel a sense of accomplishment as they reward their Dream Team Pet. What makes this unique is that the kids think they are training their Pet, but really they are sleep training themselves!

dream pets bed

Mommy Ramblings’ Readers receive 30% Off Dream Team Pets with Promo Code: USFGUIDE
The pets are available as a playful puppy, magical cat and mighty lion. The Dream Team Pets can be purchased on Amazon.

dream pets cat child

dream pets child dog

Physical Apps, TheO SmartBall Review & Giveaway!!!

Are you looking for a fun way to help your kids aged preschool to 5th grade learn? Did you know that active kids learn more and retain more of that knowledge? They do and TheO SmartBall lets kids learn while they play! TheO SmartBall is an orange foam ball that is soft and uses revolutionary technology and your smart phone to entertain and educate kids. The Physical Apps Website offers a variety of kids learning apps featuring engaging games to stimulate kids mentally while they have fun physically.

TheO SmartBall In Bag

The O Smart Ball

It is easy to get started with TheO SmartBall, all you need to do is download the entertaining and educational apps to your smart device. Physical Apps offers 8 free apps to get started. See them all HERE! You can download them from the iTunes or Google Play. Insert your device into TheO SmartBall as shown on the website tutorial and then toss, roll or shake the ball to initiate lots of learning fun!

TheO SmartBall Graphic

Theo Smart Ball

My kids were so excited to try TheO SmartBall and since my kids are really active this was a great combination to stimulate learning. TheO SmartBall makes a great holiday or birthday gift for a child. 8

Giveaway!!!

Physical Apps is sponsoring giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win their own TheO SmartBall ($39.95 Retail Value)!!! To enter just use the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!! Open to US residents.

TheO SmartBall Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!!

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Filed under Entertainment, Family Fun, Giveaway, Holiday, Review, Toys

Tagged as Active, Apps, fun, giveaway, learning, Mommy Ramblings, Physical Apps, review, TheO SmartBall

August 21, 2014 · 1:11 am

MAGFORMERS Magnetic Construction Set Review & Giveaway!!!

My kids are fascinated by magnets and love creating things. MAGFORMERS gives them both in colorful construction sets that foster brain development through fun and educational exploration. With high quality, durable construction and intelligent magnetic design, the possibilities are endless! When we received this set, I’m not sure who was more excited to open it. My boys and both my husband and I were having a blast creating different structures and showing them off to each other. This is a toy my kids have come back to over and over and would also be wonderful in a classroom setting as well. Everything is quality and it’s a toy that can be handed down and still be going strong when the next generation arrives!

Magformers 8

Magformers 10

Magformers 9

Magformers 11

MAGFORMERS is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog winner will win a MAGFORMERS Building Set! Thank you MAGFORMERS for the review set and for sponsoring this awesome giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.

MAGFORMERS, Magnetic Construction Set Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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Filed under Giveaway, Main Page Post, Mommy Ramblings, Review, Toys

Tagged as Building, construction, Creative, Educational, fun, giveaway, Imagination. Play, MAGFORMERS, Magnetic, Magnets, Mommy Ramblings, review, Set, Toy