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Little Girls Gift Guide for the Holidays

December 14, 2011 by Melissa

Having a little girl of our own I think we have a good grasp of what would make great gifts for the holidays or everyday. Below are a few things that we think most little girls age 2-8 would really appreciate and actually use.

Pottery Barn Kids-Mackenzie Duffel Bag-Don’t all little girls go on sleepovers? Maybe it’s to a friend’s house or an aunts or to the grandparents. Wherever they are headed they should definitely have their own luggage to store all of their must haves like slippers, a favorite stuffed animal and of course cozy pjs. Pottery Barn designs their luggage to be tough but still stylish and age appropriate.

pottery barn mackenzie chocolate bird duffle

Melissa and Doug Play Kitchen-Shae is 4 and still loves her kitchen. She often prepares meals for anyone willing to accept it and will do double duty as chef and server. Our Melissa and Doug kitchen accessories are made of only quality products and tested to be sure they last a lifetime.

melissa and doug kitchen

Rio the Movie-Like most kids movie this one turns out to be a love story but before you realize that you’ve encountered rapping birds, dancing birds and birds that can’t fly. This is one movie that gets lots of use in our house due to the music, vibrant colors and non-stop on screen action.

Dolls-Dolls can be a little girl’s best friend for many years. Finding just the right doll baby can make you the star of the holidays because you know that one gift will bring years of joy. Dolls come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you get a realistic Götz doll or a rag doll or one that needs batteries to sing and dance find one that matches the personality of the child.

Musical Instrument-Guitars are suddenly all the rage; well at least in my house they are. Shae is asking for a guitar, everyday she asks. She loves music of all kinds and sings along to Bob Marley, Bare Naked Ladies, Imagination Movers and Kidz Bop. Indulge the inner musician or noise maker in your life and shop for instruments.

Share your top gift ideas for little girls.

Most Annoying Toys Ever

December 1, 2011 by Melissa

Each birthday or holiday that rolls around I dread receiving some gifts that will inevitably end up buried in the closet, scattered on the floor or worse yet, the donation bin to torture another family. I’ll admit I’m guilty of buying gifts for other people’s children I knew would annoy the parents but this was before I realized the headaches they really caused. Here is my list of the MOST ANNOYING TOYS ever. And look at what’s making a comeback, the #1 worst, Furby.

Here is my list of MOST ANNOYING TOYS EVER

Furby-resembling a Magui, this robotic toy spoke its own language to other Furbies and would hold pseudo conversations with people as well as respond to being pet or moved. These things had NO off switch and often started speaking on its own while sitting in a closet or in a toybox. The craze for these things lasted about 2-3 holiday seasons resulting in about 40 million sold. Ours lasted a couple months before finding a new home in a dumpster somewhere.

Kids Pottery Wheel-only the craftiest of moms would appreciate something like this. The mess that comes along with spinning wet clay is similar to that of dried oatmeal. Just don’t do it, leave it on the shelf and walk away.

Lucky Ducks-this seemingly adorable simple game for toddlers is a nighmare to store. The on/off switch was on the top of the game so that meant every time you stacked another game on top it would turn on. The loud incessant quacking would begin and the ducks would move and out they came from the box. Now that’s what I call fun.

MoonSand-it’s wet-ish sand that you play with in the house. Need I say more.

Magical Talking Grill-a fun pretend play toy at first this got tons and tons of use but we started hearing things in the middle of the night. Bobby Q would fire up and bark orders while being alone in the playroom. He didn’t last long either.

Learn to Knit-this is just torture for a little girl that honestly would love to learn to knit. 4 instructions printed on a piece of paper just gives one long chain of knotted yarn, not the scarf or mittens the box promises.

Polly Pocket PollyWorld- teeny, choking hazards for kids and dogs aside, this flimsy home isn’t worth the cardboard walls it comes with. A gentle touch brings the staircase crashing down and the furniture toppling over causing a 4 year old to angrily redecorate all over again.

Crayola Washable Colored Bubbles-there’s nothing washable about these. The staining happens on clothing, furniture, cement… This idea that needs to go back to the drawing board.

Corn Popper-not the edible kind either. An original annoying toy that won’t die, no batteries required, powered by kid energy and we all know that never goes away.

Candyland DVD-a kids game should not entail moving all of the furniture. This game is repetetive, boring in lots of spots and loses its appeal in mere minutes. Stick with the old school board game.
Be a good friend, aunt, uncle, grandparent, Santa, whatever and stay away from these things. What are some of your annoying toy moments?

Princess Dream Castle for Your Own Princess

November 28, 2011 by Melissa

This Christmas might be the year of the Princess. Shae’s list consists of a Belle doll, Rapunzel light up dress doll, a Cinderella horse and carriage and the Princess and the Frog movie. Can you imagine my exploding head when we were sent the Disney Princess Ultimate Dream Castle for consideration?

Delight may be the understatement of the year. Shae literally squealed and jumped up and down as soon as the box landed in the living room. I describe it as big, colorful, bold and a little girls dream. The 2 dolls that were sent (not included) plus the dolls she already had, we are able to instantly move in and live together harmoniously.

The set up was not as simple as I had hoped. I made the mistake of opening the box in the middle of the day with 2 little girls running around. My niece promptly swiped a pillar and tower peak and started a marching band. Shae just repeatedly asked when it was going to be done. Honestly it took me quite a while to get it done. This might be something that should be done in a quiet room with no children present.

Standing 3 stories high, this dream house is large enough to accommodate 2 little girls playing with multiple dolls. Each room is decorated with a princess’s theme; Belle’s dining room, Sleeping Beauty’s bedroom and Tiana’s kitchen is just a sampling of the detail that is put into this castle. In my opinion $149.99 is steep for a little girl. If you know your child is a princess fanatic and has friends and family to play along it might be a perfect investment. The speed at which little girls grow up is something that needs to be taken into account before shopping. The dolls themselves are priced perfectly though; each one is approx $10 and are sold separately.

Be 1 of 2 winners for a Disney Princess doll (Belle, Snow White, Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel or Tiana). Share which princess room would be your daughter’s favorite.

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Your entries must follow the rules or they won’t be eligible for prizes. This contest ends 11:59 pm, Monday, December 19, 2011. The winners will be emailed and will have 24 hours to claim their prize. This contest is open to Continental US residents only. For complete rules please read our contest rules page.

Caillou Fireman’s House Playset #Giveaway

November 21, 2011 by Melissa

Caillou, the soft spoken preschooler loved by kids everywhere is coming into homes for the holidays. Based on a book series from author Christine L’Heureux and illustrator Hélène Desputeaux, Caillou is a 4 year old boy who is captivated by the world around him. His imagination takes over when doing everyday activites and just like a real life child grows very upset when things don’t go his way.

In time for the upcoming gift giving holidays the Caillou brand is introducing the Caillou Fireman’s House playset. Get your child’s imagination going and they can save the day just like a real firefighter.

Win a Caillou Firemans’ House Playset and Classic 14.5” Doll from LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! Tell me one of your favorite Caillou episodes.

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Your entries must follow the rules or they won’t be eligible for prizes. This contest ends 11:59 pm, Monday, December 12,, 2011. The winners will be emailed and will have 24 hours to claim their prize. This contest is open to Continental US residents only. For complete rules please read our contest rules page.

Kohl’s Cares Christmas Plush and Books Giveaway

November 15, 2011 by Melissa

It’s back; Kohl’s Cares books and plush to benefit kid’s health and education programs nationwide. A couple times a year Kohl’s brings to its customers a collection of well loved books and matching stuffed animals. This time around they are presenting stories from Nancy Tillman; On the Night You Were Born, Wherever You Are My Love Will Find You, The Spirit of Christmas and It’s Time to Sleep, My Love.

I think these are a great addition to any gift or even by themselves and at the cost of $5 a fantastic way to save some money but still offer a quality present from the heart. Nancy Tillman’s warm and nurturing stories will captivate readers of all ages and I can assure you these stories will become a staple to your child’s bedtime rotation. Feel good about purchasing books and plush that not only will enrich your child’s heart but also enrich the lives of children in your community.

Kohl’s donates 100% of the net profit of each purchase from the Kohl’s Cares program to your own neighborhood’s children’s health and education projects. Kohl’s has turned this simple $5 gift into a $180 million difference.

Win your own Nancy Tillman collection (1plush, 4 books) along with Good Housekeeping’s cookbook, A Very Merry Christmas and the Have Yourself a Merry Little Country Christmas CD. What are some of your favorite holiday stories, songs or recipes?

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Butterlies Dolls for every Personality Giveaway

October 31, 2011 by Melissa

Two Birthday’s just passed, my little nieces both turned 2 within a few days of each other. I had gifts planned out for them but the opportunity came up to review the new Cracker Barrel Butterflies Dolls.
Unlike lots of toys on the market today Butterflies Dolls need no batteries, no electricity, no hook-up, no charges. They are fueled by kid’s imagination and creativity. There are 8 dolls total for the collection; a ballerina, a princess, a cheerleader, schoolgirl, slumber party friend, horse lover, farm girl, and mother’s helper. Each doll comes with her own story and is priced about $20.

Starting November 1 these dolls along with additional outfits will be available at all Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations everywhere.

My niece Madison is our rough and tumble little girl. She rolls around the ground, throws a ball and trys to ride the dog. She received “Madison” the cheerleader. The slightly older little one, Ella, is our sweetie. She’s soft-spoken, gentle and takes ballet class; she received “Isabella“, the princess. Don’t you think it worked out perfectly!

madi with madison

ella with isabella

No need to find a Cracker Barrel Country Store to get a Butterflies doll; a LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! reader is going to win one. Let me know which your favorite 2 dolls are.

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To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry above. Please note the changes to the entries and frequency, entries that don’t follow rules will be disregarded/ignored/deleted.

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Your entries must follow the rules or they won’t be eligible for prizes. This contest ends 11:59 pm, Monday, November 21, 2011. The winners will be emailed and will have 24 hours to claim their prize. This contest is open to Continental US residents only. For complete rules please read our contest rules page.

Dance With Me Doll Giveaway

October 28, 2011 by Melissa

Since my niece has mastered her mom’s iPod I thought it would be appropriate to give her the Baby Born Dance With Me Doll for Christmas. Madi herself is a dancing fool and often grabs the paws of the dog to boogie along to YoGabbaGabba or the Fresh Beat Band. Shae is her usual dance partner but what about when they aren’t together. I want to give her a full-time dance partner.

Features:

14″ doll
Doll dances to the beat of all kinds of music!
Dances from side to side and up and down!
She stops dancing when the song ends
Removable outfit for fashion play!
Comes with her very own special song!
Includes audio cable to connect to an MP3 player and listen to your own music
Vinyl body and surface is washable!
4x AA Batteries Required (Included)

I know this is going to be a hit for Madi and look forward to seeing the look on her face when it dances to her favorite songs. Shop for Baby Born Dance With Me Doll at Walmart, Toys R Us or directly from Little Tikes.

Do you know a child that would love to dance along with Baby Born Dance With Me Doll? Win one just by letting me know who this would be for.

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Your entries must follow the rules or they won’t be eligible for prizes. This contest ends 11:59 pm, Friday, November 18, 2011. The winners will be emailed and will have 24 hours to claim their prize. This contest is open to Continental US residents only. For complete rules please read our contest rules page.

We Learned, Created and Shared our LeapPad and Tag

October 20, 2011 by Melissa

Each year there is a new hot electronic toy for kids and we usually end up indulging before any real research. This year that must have toy for kids is the Leapfrog LeapPad learning tablet. Tablets are all the craze right now, we have an iPad and the kids love it but I don’t love them using it. The LeapPad is JUST FOR KIDS with a built in camera, video recorder, activities and games.

set up and play within minutes

Our family hosted a “Learn, Create and Share” party for Shae and some friends to try out the LeapPad and Tag Reading System. With a bowl of frog gummies, froggy faced cupcakes and lilypad placemats we started our party with tasty snacks of course. The real fun began when the kids got to work on activity sheets and testing out the Tag and LeapPad for themselves.

fun with the tag

The set up was easy, hook up to the computer to download apps then hand it over to let the kids explore and have fun. Shae’s first game was Jewel Train; a puzzle game that gets minds thinking. Her new favorite thing is taking pictures so as soon as she found out there was a camera she went snapping away. The quality was good as long as there was enough light. The included software allows kids to manipulate pics with funny faces and drawings.

As a parent I looked for some other features. The size was perfect for small hands with buttons large enough not to miss and materials that weren’t slippery (like the iPad). The response time from when the children tapped the screen and when the movement or action happened was instant. This is important especially when you have impatient kids that will keep clicking or tapping resulting in the wrong answer or outcome. As a whole I’m pleased with the LeapPad and expect it to last many years.

LeapFrog products are a staple in our house. In fact about 10 years ago we purchased another item called a LeapPad; a completely different product than this one but it is still regularly used. Shae’s My First LeapPad is still going strong and has been handed down to my niece. The Leapster was Shaun’s best companion and found a new home with a younger neighbor. Learning can be fun and LeapFrog makes this very clear in every gadget they put out. The library of additional games and apps available for purchase is much larger than other kid devices I’ve seen out there and BONUS for the LeapPad and Tag; there are NO cartridges to lose.

Learn to read, create, write and play with LeapFrog.

I received free LeapFrog products in order to host a Learn, Create and Share Party. LeapFrog did not influence my opinions expressed here as a result.”

Little Tikes Pretend Play Workshop Giveaway

October 11, 2011 by Melissa

Pretend play is a necessity for growing minds and imaginations. My kids have always explored dressing up, role play and creative thinking. Utilizing toys and games is a great way to expand pretend play.

Little Tikes has a great selection of pretend and active toys that keep kids occupied for years. The TIKES Tough Workshop is a great addition for a boy or girl (ages 2 and up) that loves to interact with real action toys.
Workstation includes fun accessories for hours of play

Includes play hammer, wrench, built-in saw and vice clamp
Hammer and “nails” help develop hand-eye coordination skills
Saw “cuts” play wood boards
Peg board and hooks for tool storage
Sliding door below reveals additional storage space
Durable and safety-tested for long-lasting play

Whether you go for the play kitchen, costumes or Tikes Tough Workshop expect your children to play for hours at a time while imitating adult actions and conversation.

Shop for the Tikes Tough Workshop ($39.99) or Cupcake Kitchen at Little Tikes online.

A LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! reader is going to win Tikes Tough™ Workshop from Little Tikes. Let me know another toy from Little Tikes you might purchase this coming holiday season.
EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry above. Please note the changes to the entries and frequency, entries that don’t follow rules will be disregarded/ignored/deleted.

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Your entries must follow the rules or they won’t be eligible for prizes. This contest ends 11:59 pm, Tuesday, November 1, 2011. The winners will be emailed and will have 24 hours to claim their prize. This contest is open to Continental US residents only. For complete rules please read our contest rules page.

Toob Time

September 11, 2011 by Melissa

When Shaun entered the 2 year old class in daycare back in 2005 the teachers were impressed with his animal recognition and sounds.

Typically kids know cat, dog, cow and bird but he could recognize an iguana, zebra, walrus and sloth. While I’d like to take the credit for this braniac moment it wasn’t me. I had Animal Toobs to thank. Purchasing these toobs actually goes back to little Sabreena. We would pick them up at zoos, museum gift shops and often stuff her stocking with one come Christmas. By the time Shaun came around we had already accumulated a grand collection. He truly played with them and we ended up losing a good amount of them by the time Shae got to them. We’ve been adding to the collection again. Here you see we opened up a Farm Toob from GummyLump.com. They are an inexpensive and educational gift for kids of any age especially since they come in a variety of themes like Pirate, Coral Reef and Dinosaurs. Whatever the obsession of the week is I’m sure there is a Toob for it.

Shamu, not a Toob animal but they live together

A great way to learn animal names and sounds

it was a rainy day so we brought the water table inside, empty

horse and farm animals

mooooooo

Thanks to GummyLump.com for including me in your DotCom.Mom Program and sending great toys for my kids to try out. The Toobs were and always are a hit. Visit GummyLump.com for great prices on Toobs, Melissa and Doug and Arts and Craft Supplies for kids.

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