5 Under $10: Preschool Toys to Donate this Christmas

 Christmas, Giving Back  1 Response »
Dec 082015
 

This shop and my suggestions for preschool toys to donate has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BIGDeal #CollectiveBias

I’ve always felt it was important to teach Bubbles to have a kind and giving heart.  Small acts of kindness go a long way in this world, and I want her to think of others and not just herself.  I also want her to know the joy of brightening someone else’s day.

If you need ideas for preschool toys to donate, here are 5 great options!

As a family, we shop every year for gifts that we’ll donate to the various toy drives and angel trees in town.  Friends and family often comment that they would like to do something similar, but had two concerns in common.  One was the cost of giving during an already expensive time of year (and during an already tough economic climate) and the other was a lack of knowledge in what kids might like. Continue reading »

Use the CASHFLOW Game to Teach Money Management to Teens

 Entertainment  No Responses »
Dec 162014
 

This CASHFLOW game post is sponsored by Rich Dad. All words and opinions are my own.

I think one of the most important things we can teach our kids before they leave our homes is money management and how to be financially responsible.  When I left home to attend college I ran into a number of kids who clearly didn’t have these lessons growing up and it was a little painful watching some of the decisions they made.  (College tip: running up a pizza tab on your credit cards is probably not smart.)

The CASHFLOW game by Rich Dad Poor Dad. A fun way to introduce the concept of money management and fiscal responsibility to your kiddos plus learn a little about investing for yourself, too. Add #CASHFLOW to your next family game night.

I had lessons both at home and in school.  In the fifth grade we were given “checkbooks” that we managed for the entire year, had ways to earn “income” and were given the opportunity to write out “checks” for prizes and other items.  It made learning the concept a lot of fun, which is really helpful for a topic like money. Continue reading »

Enjoying Family Game Time with Hasbro’s The Game of Life

 Entertainment, games  32 Responses »
Feb 262014
 

I received product in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received and all words and opinions are my own.

I’ve always loved board games.  Sunday afternoons and many weeknight evenings in my childhood were spent playing any number of different games.  As I got older, they would often turn into marathon games where the board would have to be placed aside and revisited later to determine the winner.

Hasbro's The Game of Life Board Game

Now that I have a family of my own, board games are a tradition we continue.  While Bubbles is a little young for many of them, she still loves to join us all, taking part where she can.  And if the game is really above her skill level, she participates by rolling the die, spinning the wheel, handing us cards, or just cheering, “You can do it! Go, go!” for whomever currently is taking a turn. Continue reading »

Liven Up Your Winter Nights with Monopoly Empire and Transformers!

 Family Fun, For the Kids  21 Responses »
Dec 292013
 

I received Monopoly Empire and Transformers products in order to facilitate my review. All thoughts and words are my own.

I have long loved the board game Monopoly.  There were some serious marathons of the game in my house growing up, too.  My father has more patience than any person I’ve ever met and he would sit for hours upon hours and play with me, long after others had given up.

Monopoly Empire

Monopoly Empire Board Game from Hasbro

While the classic version will probably always be my favorite, we definitely are having fun with one of the newest iterations, Monopoly Empire.  In Monopoly Empire everything – the properties, the pieces, the cards – get a little shake-up with modern twists.  You won’t see a battleship or Board Walk, but you will see a Coca-Cola bottle and Samsung. Continue reading »

Super Duper Games for the Holidays

 For the Kids, For Toddlers  20 Responses »
Dec 202013
 

I received Super Duper products in order to facilitate my review. All thoughts and words are my own.

A bit ago I shared with you our experiences with the MagneTalk game from Super Duper.  Creating stories with the magnets and scenes was creating lots of opportunities for imaginative play, so we were looking through the site to see if there were any other similar games.  There ended up being a number of games we found that looked like they would be fun.

MagneTalk Mealtime Game from Super Duper Publications

The first game we selected was the MagneTalk Mealtime Game.  After enjoying our first MagneTalk product so much, I knew this would be a hit, too.  The set includes 48 magnets and a game board that breaks a dinner plate up into the major food groups.  You can have your child sort by food type, create a balanced meal, or make up silly food pairings. Continue reading »

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