KRE-O Giveaway

THE WHAT:  HASBRO's new line of construction toys - KRE-O TRANSFORMERS

THE HOW:  It's the new cool of construction toys.

THE BONUS: Plan a visit to Fan Expo happening on August 25th – 28th (Metro Toronto Convention Centre) and visit the KRE-O booth! Families will have the chance to get their picture taken with Bumblebee, guess how many KRE-O bricks it takes to build the 8 foot Optimus Prime and put their construction skills to the test.

THE GIVEAWAY: 2 KRE-O Prize packs up for grabs!  Approx total value = $105.00 each

·         PRIZE PACK #1

o   Optimus Prime with Twin Cycles

o   Megatron

·         PRIZE PACK #2

o   Sentinel Prime

o   Bumblebee

o   Prowl

THE ENTRY:

Visit http://www.hasbro.com/kre-o/en_US/ and browse the construction sets (there are 12!), game, kreons and videos and COMMENT below which KRE-O product appeals to your child.

one entry per day

LIKE Parent Club on Facebook = an extra entry*

Tweet this giveaway mentioning: @HasbroCanada @ParentClub = an extra entry*

Follow Parent Club on google friend connect (GFC) = an extra entry* {at bottom of main page}

Blog about this giveaway with a link back to to this post = an extra entry*

*Comment separately that you did so

THE RULES (because life has rules)

open to Canadian residents only (sorry rest of the world!)

No double winners.  1 winner = 1 prize

Winners have 48 hours to claim their prize or a new winner will be drawn

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Disclaimer: Parent Club will receive a KRE-O construction set to review (post to come).  No financial compensation or baked goods were received.

Tablets for Tots - part deux

In the Parent Club Tablets for Tots post we presented a break down of the benefits of Apple ipad, Blackberry PlayBook and Samsung Galaxy Tablet specifically for family (and tot) use. 

The folks at Motorola didn't want to be left out (and why should they?) and offered a hands-on experience of the...

Motorola Xoom

The Motorola Xoom is the perfect size for gaming and watching movies.  Definition is great.  Kids can easily maneuver the screen to change between applications (better than I really). 

It looks lighter than it is.  The off button is at the back so little hands won't mistakenly power off.  Definitely a grown up tool that is kid-friendly.  Favourite apps on this android were piano and drawing. 

Note: being an android device you need a google gmail id to set-up.

The tablet market is full of great devices for mobility, entertainment and education.  Now...just to find an organization app to schedule it all in...

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Disclosure: Parent Club was lent a Mortorla Xoom for hands-on review (and yes, we reluctantly gave it back).  The opinions on this review are our authentic own.

How much should I pay a babysitter?

From the Parent Club archives (and timely following The Real Babysitting 101 Course post)

We invite you to read one of the top-ten most read Parent Club posts: How much to pay a babysitter?

Here is the question of today Parent Club -- How much do you pay a babysitter?


Some of you may have loverly grandparents who babysit free-of-charge (or siblings/extended family/whatever) - or - some of you may have great neighbours who are willing to watch your kids for a couple of hours for a future return of service.
I have never known a teen babysitter to actually set a fee - they have left it up to me to set a price. I try to overpay -- so that the teenager A.)books me first if ever I call for a babysitting day B.) takes especially good care of my krazy kids C.) I know most of the parents of our babysitters and well, there is a point of not looking cheap...

Click to continue reading (and the comments are full of great tips on paying babysitters!)

http://www.fisherpriceplay.ca/

Do you know you could WIN a $400 prize pack over at fisherpriceplay.ca just for sharing your child's milestones?

I shared my milestones HERE (well, not MY milestones...dear son's milestones...my milestones are full night's sleep and a fresh shower these days).

Moving on...share your milestones, meet the Fisher-Price Moms (do you spy me there)? and browse the toys that will help your babies play laugh grow.

Disclosure: I am part of the Fisher-Price #playpanel program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Activities for Kids on a Hot Day

Never have board games been more fun in my house then this week of hazy, crazy, blazy heat.  "Mommy wanna play Monopoly?" "Mommy wanna play Connect 4?" we enjoyed a slew of mad-playing-board-gamin'. 

And then of course, when Mommy had to go do Mommy things (like changing diapers and feeding babies) the kidz wanted e-activities.

"Can we watch tv?"
"Can we play on your tablet?"
"Can we make cookies?"

I don't mind screen time nor supervising kids' cooking.  However, neither are really appealing at 2pm on a hot summer day.  Let's get away from the screens and hot ovens...

Well kids...why don't you...

<li>run through the sprinkler
<li>read a book
<li>draw a picture
<li>listen to music
<li>dance in the living room
<li>play with your toys *insert kid groan here*
<li>draw a hopscotch game outside
<li>swing (we have the swingset outside remember)
<li>play in the shade
<li>swim in the pool
<li>make popsicles
<li>stamp
<li>colour
<li>play go fish

Summer is the season to disconnect from screens and hot ovens.  *she hypocritically typed from her laptop* C'est la vie.

Tablets for Tots

I was recently invited for a Tablets for Tots luncheon (hosted by Best Buy, the Geek Squad and reps from RIM) to munch and meander the opportunities for kids and tablet devices. 

Confession:  I have a tablet - a Samsung Galaxy Tablet and no I do NOT let my kids touch it (thems got sticky fingers)

Take-away: the Geek Squad is solution based so if it takes them 10 minutes or 10 hours they will work dedicated to your problem until its solved.  (recommend bookmarking the online support feature)

During that Tablets for Tots discussion, my opinion of kids and tabs did open up.  We talked about how mobile tabs are family friendly (one device = your library, camera, movie player, social network, e-mail and game system).  We talked about how tech savvy kids are and that learning how to manipulate a tab can be part of their education.  We also talked about the cool apps (not Angry Birds...despite the fact that my kids think it's pretty cool) out in the free and paid markets which can keep kids entertained (and bonus if they have educational quality).

We also discussed "screen time" and most of the invitees agreed that screen time should not be limitless.  (chez nous it's 30 minutes) Nor do screens replace books.

On our lunch table was every tablet imaginable and I thought it might be prudent to share a quick run-down for you dear readers.

ipad

The ipad was the biggest tablet on the table (PlayBook and Samsung are half the size).  The biggest fail on the ipad is that it can't play flash (which means when there is a video on a website - it just shows a blank area).  Amazing amount of apps.  Good video quality.  My research tells me ipad does not have a built in camera - can anyone confirm this?

PlayBook

The picture quality of the PlayBook* is fantastic! From pictures to games to video the imagery is the top amongst this tablet listing.  It's a smart device with easy one finger swiping.  With this, dad can check e-mail using the blackberry bridge, mom can surf the internet and kids can watch videos and play movies (think of it one vacation, one device and only one cable to pack!).  Yes, it has a built in camera.  And it plays flash.

Samsung Galaxy Tablet

I received the galaxy tab for my birthday and at first I thought it was just a toy.  But after extensive testing (ok daily use really) I have found it's a really COOL tool.  It is my hand-held go-to for twitter, facebook, web searching and camera (do you notice a trend of the importance of camera to me? multi-purpose devices are my thang).  Android operating system.  Plays flash.  Extensive app market (my new fav is talk-to-tape where I can audio record interviews - great for a writer-type like me).

Disclosure: I received a PlayBook at this luncheon for hands-on experience.  Moment it came into the house the family was all "Can I have it?" "Can I have it?" "Me!"

Free Summer Activity - West 49 LRN2SK8 TOUR PRESENTED BY DISNEY XD

Free and fabulous: This summer West 49 has big plans to continue being part of that first skateboarding experience for Canadian kids. West 49 is pleased to announce West 49 LRN2SK8 Tour presented by Disney XD.
Starting this June (2011) and running through to September 2nd The West 49 LRN2SK8 Tour presented by Disney XD will be making 30 stops at West 49 locations across Canada (mall parking lots) offering an amazing program targeting beginner skaters age 5 and up.

The ½ day program will include the following elements:  mock-classroom lessons where trick description (Tech Deck Trickology 101) and the history of skateboarding will be reviewed, Build-a-Board Workshop learning how to install bearings and apply grip tape and small group lessons aiding in individual progression execution and analysis will be taught with skate-educated seasoned riders providing the lessons. 
 
This program is FREE to kids aged 5 + across Canada and you can register online starting June 1st, 2011 at http://www.west49lrn2sk8.com/. Each location offers two sessions 10am - 12pm & 1pm - 3pm with free skate being offered at 3pm.


*Helmets are mandatory. Helmets and skateboards will be available for use during the programs.

FREE Wiggles Performance at Chapters Bayview Village

INDIGOKIDS PRESENTS: “THE WIGGLES! BIG BIRTHDAY!”


THE EVENT: The Wiggles are in Toronto for The Wiggles! Big Birthday! party. North American Tour and fans of the acclaimed foursome can enjoy a FREE sneak peek as they perform live in-store. Please note that this is a performance, not a book signing.

Wristbands are being handed out tomorrow Tuesday, July 5, 2011 at 9:30am. Quantities are limited, for more details, please visit: www.chapters.indigo.ca/storeevents/

THE SHOW: Wednesday, July 6th, 2011; 3:30pm

THE WHERE: Chapters Bayview Village

2901 Bayview Avenue #132, Toronto, ON

Easy Kid-Cooking Cookies | #LMDConnector

Challenge: bake kid-made cookies with an 8 yr old on a Friday night while baby sits in highchair.

Do-able?: apparently yes.

Not only did we make really yummy and cool cookies (merci to this easy Life Made Delicious Bunny Cookie recipe)

These cookies also won 1st place in the school cookie contest! (#WIN for dd's self-esteem - since losing her "baby" status in the family we've been taking extra steps to make her feel special - this was such a boost for her)

How easy? betty crocker sugar cookie mix + a few other ingredients +  kid creativity = ready in no time!

Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Easter Egg Decorating for kids

Back in the Parent Club archives you'll find a post on Easter Egg Decorating for kids - jr & senior edition.

Click on the post for complete instructions but the gist of it is...

Egg Decorationg for little kids
Use hard boiled eggs, sponges and tempra paint.

Egg Decorating for bigger kids
Use foods (such as carrots, blueberries, tea) as natural dyes

And for a tried & true method...

Easter Egg Decorating with Food Colouring

You need:

Hard boiled eggs (or blown out ones)

Food colouring

Water

Vinegar

Container

Spoon (or wire)

Paper towel

Mix about 20 or so drops of food colouring with 1 tbsp of vinegar and 1/2 cup of tepid* water.

Repeat this step with different colours to create a rainbow (tip: use clean, used, coffee cans to hold the mixtures - then you can trash them).

Using a spoon (or my friend once made an egg holder with copper wire) lower the hard boiled egg into the colour mixture. The longer you leave the egg in the more vibrant the colour.

Pat the coloured egg dry with a paper towel.

Remember: food colouring stains so break out the art bibs.

*tepid means not hot, not cold, but just right.

Entering a good, brilliant, priceless giveaway

Gentle nudge peeps to enter that giveaway over there (see the loverly Clover Leaf goodie basket). What is better than a basket which includes:

A Paderno knife

Small bamboo cutting board

of measuring spoons

Silicon spatula

$50 Visa Gift Card

Various Clover Leaf product (not exactly as pictured)

(Visa gift card?! Yay!)

Better than all that is that Clover Leaf is donating 555 cans of tuna to local food banks in tandem with this challenge (woot woot for social good!)
*Social good is good.
*The way I got the kids involved in making lunch through this kid activity was a little brilliant.
*A basket full of goodies to fill the pantry is priceless.

Enter dear readers.
Enter HERE.

March Break Activities and Tips

Staycation? Vacation? Wherever your March Break plans take you we've got the tips you need!

Well, to start our #1 March break tip:

Remember to put a bit of "me time" in your March break. Go to yoga class, uncork a bottle after the kids go to bed, tweet, read...do whatever it is that relaxes you. Because if the parent-in-charge has March break burn out...everyone gets burnt (there is a trickle down effect there).

Family Travels

Tip: Plan for life's road blocks.

✈ Pack your usual children's medication in your carry on
✈ The best fast food is food you already have on hand (i.e. pack snacks!)
✈ Fill your ipod with free video podcasts (Nick & Disney)

✈ Music soothes the savage beast (audio books and kids' fav. music)
✈ Pack enough diapers to get you through the day (plus 2)

Free Family Field Trips
Tip: Check back on Parent Club for more field trip tips next week

✓Read my Yummy Mummy Club article 10 March Break (or Anytime) Activity Ideas.
✓ Library, swimming pool, indoor ice rink are all great activities
✓ Movies at home or in the theatre are a special treat
✓ Kid swap! You take the kids this morning and I'll take them this afternoon.

Errands
Tip: Mix fun stuff with boring stuff so the kids will want to go back to school

✯ Book dentist and doctor appointments for the family
✯ Get an eye check up
✯ Go grocery shopping

Check back here for specific things to do, family events and kid activities for March Break.

FREE VALENTINE'S FAMILY ACTIVITIES

How did I manage to use ballgowns and spaghetti and Valentine's Day in the same family activity?! Surf over to my Yummy Mummy Club column to find out...

Don't you ever wish you could freeze a delicious family moment in time? Tuck that newborn smile in your pocket and save it for a rainy day? Upon the occasion of Valentine's Day I have some ideas to treasure the family luv forever...and do it for free...
http://yummymummyclub.ca/free_valentines_activities_kids

Family Literacy Day

Surf over to my Yummy Mummy Club column to read my top picks for Great Canadian Kidslit Writers...(and some family-friendly literacy activities)

Family Literacy Day and Great Canadian Writers

Literacy is an important thing. Supporting Canadian authors is important. And doing activities as a family is the mostest important. Marry all these together on Family Literacy Day....

Click on link above to keep reading.

Kid Activities for Thanksgiving

In preparation for Thanksgiving this weekend (Canadian - that is)...I have made a few suggestions over at my Yummy Mummy Club column for...

Activities for kids - while you're busy with the bird

Some of the ideas include having the kids make decorate the table with fall multi-coloured leaves, making menus, folding napkins.

Whether you are cooking the turkey yourself, contributing to a pot luck or going to someone's house for dinner...I'm sure we could all use some activities this weekend to keep the kids busy.

Share you Thanksgiving kids' activities with Parent Club in the comments below!

More on Silly Bandz

Recently, I was quoted in a Toronto Star article "Silly Bandz frenzy invades Canadian schoolyards" by Kristin Rushowy.

Do you know about Silly Bandz? They are basically silicone braclets - in various shapes (flowers, microphones, Justin Bieber - yes really, etc...) and they are THE fad de jour.

My quotes reads as:

Caroline Fernandez first heard of Silly Bandz in August when her kids were at summer camp and a counsellor gave them out. Now, they’re everywhere.

Just last week, one daughter was late for the morning bus while she searched for her bands “because she had to take them to school,” said Fernandez, blogger and founder of parentclub.ca.

At their school, kids wear the Silly Bandz in bunches on a metal ring, hung on their belt loops.

“I have taken a stance on this one . . . all of their Silly Bandz have been paid directly from their tooth fairy bank,” said the mother of two children.

(Forgive me re-quoting myself here - just providing reference for those who didn't see the article)

Do you know about Silly Bandz? Do you have an opinion? There is an interesting article in Businessweek about The Man Behind the Bandz that may be of interest to you.

In my opinion, Silly Bandz is a silly fad...like Pokémon cards, go-gos, Tamagotchis and scratch-n'-sniff stickers (ok - perhaps I'm dating myself with scratch-n'-stiff stickers). And like all kid-powered-fads, I doubt the Silly Bandz life will be too long.

[And may I point out an aside: have you ever seen a commercial or print ad for Silly Bandz? I haven't. This "fad" seems to have blown in on the same magical wind used by Mary Poppins - unknown yet powerful]

As stated in my quote: my kids' Silly Bandz are purchased from their Tooth Fairy bank (not my wallet). Should they chose to spend their money on Silly Bandz -- well that's a decision. An informed decision. Because before we're at the check-out, you can be sure I have brought up the fact that their money could be used for a movie or something else kid-friendly (to widen their consumer view of the world). They chose to buy Silly Bandz - and I chose not to micro-manage this choice.

I do think fads like these can be a distraction in the classroom. Teachers - confiscate away should they be disrupting! There's a life-lesson there too - there is a time and place for everything.

What do YOU think of Silly Bandz and kid fads?

Yummy Mummy Club: Do organized sports bring out the worst in parents

Surf over to my space at Yummy Mummy Club to read my latest post about how organized sports sometimes bring out the worst in parents.

Kids' Sports: Activity or Armageddon?

This weekend, at my kids' year-end soccer tournament, I heard a parent yell "Hey, Jane* if you want a play date tomorrow you better WAKE UP!". My jaw dropped, as did the Mom sitting next to me. WTH? Threatening your kid the loss of a play date if she didn't improve her field performance? Who does this?

(Click the link above to keep reading)

Activity Mummy at Yummy Mummy Club

Looking to keep the kids busy while you work? or tweet? or throw in a load of laundry? I've got a great activity to put the kids to "work"...

Check out my Yummy Mummy Club - Nick of Time column:

Playing "Work at Home Office"

Kids CBC

Recently, Parent Club was invited for a sneak peak of the Kids' CBC Caboose (and obviously it being summer we brought along two jr. reporters!).

The Caboose is the new place to see Sid, Patty, Saumon de Champlain, Mamma Yamma (she's a yam - so my kids' tell me) and Captain Claw. And if you know these friends, then you know Kids' CBC - the go-to television channel for Canadian (eh!) children's programming that is age-appropriate, entertaining and every week day.

Perfect for pre-schoolers, the channel entertains with positive shows which encourage physical activity, decision making, cooperation and creativity. Awesome entertainment for kids while you change laundry loads or check twitter or prep morning snack.



Oh, and those 2 jr. reporters?...LOVED seeing the Caboose, talked expertly with host Patty about all things Kids' CBC (and Patty is just loverly!) and gave Kids' CBC 4 big thumbs up.

CONTEST ALERT!
Your kids are invited to enter the Kids' CBC Caboose Crazy Cross-Canada Postcard Contest for a chance to win some awesome prizes (running Sept 6 to Nov 5). Your kids make, create or buy a postcard of their town and then mail it into Kids' CBC (who will show some of the entries on-air). Don't know about you - but MY kids love sending (and receiving) mail!

Back to School Tips

I, for one, am fairly excited it's back to school season. It's been a great summer. It's been fun. But it's time to move on (seriously...let's move on).

And I have been busy writing back to school themed articles...

These were for the good folks at everythingmom.com

Building Homework Habits

Tips on How to Organize the Night Before

Fit to be Tied: Tips On Tying Shoes

If you care to share back to school tips for fellow Parent Club peeps - send me an e-mail or put it in a comment here...Next week I'll be running a series of back to school posts - which include lunch box tips, getting school ready and why does your school bag smell?...