Apr 082013
 

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. I received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Tour a Local National Boys & Girls Clubs of America Program This Week

After School Programs From BGCA

I’m mentioned a few times that I grew up in a very small town in Maine.  To give you some perspective on just how small, there are roughly 1400 people living there today.  There is a grocery store, two gas stations, a diner, a pizza place, and a handful of other random stores.  So, you know, small.

What we didn’t have were many after-school options.  If you weren’t playing a sport or didn’t have a job then there wasn’t much to do.  Fortunately most kids had parents that made sure where they were and what they were up to, but that wasn’t the case in every situation.  And regardless of checked in on, or not, it would have been great to have someplace to go where we could participate in fun activities, reinforce the skills and behaviors we learned in school, and to be active outside of the 20 minutes of recess we had each day. Continue reading »

Dec 052012
 

Win a Melissa & Doug Trunki – A “Terrific Twenty” item!

Views From the 'Ville 2012 Holiday Gift Guide - Melissa & Doug Trunki

A bit ago I shared with you Melissa & Doug’s “Terrific Twenty” list of the top toys for the holidays.  I hinted at the time that you should keep checking back for a giveaway – and here it is!  We are kicking off our 2012 Holiday Gift Guide and one lucky winner is going to receive a Melissa & Doug Trunki Suitcase of their choice!

Melissa & Doug Trunki Giveaway - 2012 Holiday Gift GuideMelissa & Doug Trunki Giveaway - 2012 Holiday Gift Guide

For your chance to win, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  The giveaway is open to residents of the US & Canada, ages 18 and older.  It will end at midnight EST on Thursday, December 13th. Continue reading »

Feb 222012
 

The i like book for kids is such a neat product.

I’m sure most people are familiar with baby books; it gives you the opportunity to document your child’s first year of life.  Well, the i like books for kids is kind of an extension of that.  It allows you to write down one thing you like about the child each day for a year.  There are two lines per day,  so you can either choose two things, or two people can each choose one thing (for example, Mom & Dad, Gram & Gramp, two siblings, etc. could each could choose one thing to write).

These books – which come in a variety of colors – could be great to boost a child’s self-esteem.  Your positive opinions of them be memorialized for life, giving your kids the opportunity to look back on them through the years.  And if you choose to share them as you write them daily, it can also provide an instant feel-good moment on rough days.  You could add your “i like…” moment to your nightly dinner or bedtime routines.

If you’d like more information about i like books (psst – they have them for couples, too) you can follow them on Twitter and like them on Facebook.

I received product in order to facilitate my review. No additional compensation was received and all opinions, as always, are 100% that of myself and my family.