Tagged with 'family'

The leaves are changing and crisp fall air is upon us…the perfect time to head out into nature! Not only does time spent in nature promote exercise and fresh air (duh), but it has also been shown to build confidence, promote creativity and imagination, and reduce stress and fatigue (we’re all feeling a bit of both these days, no?).  Since we’re all spending more time indoors now, getting out into nature is more important than ever before. (Not to panic you, but Nature Deficit Disorder is actually a real thing.)Fall is the perfect time to get outside and explore! The weather is brisk and cool and there are so many amazing things to discover and do, both on your walk and after, like:Count the Colors!On your walk: Colorful leaves are one of the most amazing things about fall. See if you can spot brown, yellow, orange, red, and multicolored leaves. Take a few of your favorites home with you and…At home: Try printing them in paper clay and painting them, turning them into autumn suncatchers, making crayon rubbings, and more. While your kids are creating, you can share this simple explanation for color-changing leaves (and find other awesome fall leaf activities), from the EI blog. Don’t forget the apple cider!Photo credit: artfulparent.comEI Tip: Leaf peeping is even more fun with the GeoSafari® Jr. Kidnoculars® Extreme™! Kids can magnify what they see AND hear with this set of kid-friendly binoculars featuring 3x magnification and built-in audio amplification.Watch for Critters!On your walk: Stop, stand still (a challenge, we know), stay quiet, and look around. The critters you could see depend on where you’re walking, but you just might spot furry friends like rabbits, groundhogs, and chipmunks. Turn your gaze toward the ground and you see if you can spy any ants (look for the mounded dirt that marks their colonies), stinkbugs, ladybugs, or beetles. Check the trees for woodpeckers, hawks, jays, and squirrels. Watch your heads though – squirrels are scavenging for nuts in the fall!To add to the fun try a scavenger hunt that allows you and your little ones to soak up the sights, sounds and smells of fall! You'll love these free scavenger hunt printables from teachingmama.org. Get out and explore!At home: Check your hunt list and talk about all the things you found, and what you'll be on the lookout for next time. This may help inspire more curious questions and learning fun! Here are 5 Random Fall Facts facts you can add to the mix!EI Tip: If your kids can’t get enough of the amazing, organized activity of ants, bring home the GeoSafari® Ant Factory, an escape-proof ant habitat perfect for observing ants in action. Comes complete with mail-in ant certificate.Scope Out the Spiders!On your walk: Get out into nature early enough on a cool, fall day, and you’ll be rewarded with a spooky spattering of silky spiderwebs! Covered in morning dew, they’re easy to spot in the trees, on the bushes, and suspended between upright objects. With more than 45,000 different species of spiders found around the world, you’re bound to see something pretty cool. (Interesting note – only about a dozen types of spiders can harm humans!) Take the time to inspect their webs and point out the different weaving patterns and…At home: Make your own spider web, using a paper plate, hole punch, kid-safe plastic needle, and yarn, following these simple instructions from JugglingWithKids.com.Photo Credit: jugglingwithkids.comEI Tip: If you find a special spider you’d like to see a little closer, use the GeoSafari® Jr. Critter Habitat to take an up-close look! Built-in magnifiers reveal amazing details, while built-in air holes keep creepy crawlies safe until it’s time to release them back where they were caught.No matter where you walk or what you see, a trip into nature never disappoints! If your kids can’t get enough of nature, check out the brand new GeoSafari® Jr. Talking Wildlife Camera. The camera features 130 amazing wildlife images and speaks 200 fun animal facts in the voice of Robert Irwin. Kids choose between Fact and Quiz mode to test their memories and make nature even more fun. The perfect present for your little nature lover!

Sometimes these days can feel like all work and no play… for you AND your kids! Help your kids escape the screens and stress of at-home learning and get back to the business of play with these awesome, hands-on, activity ideas perfect for after-school playtime!Hands-On Fun for Big KidsThere’s a reason recess is built into the school day – big kids’ brains need a break! Hands-on play improves behavior, develops imagination and creativity, helps kids express their emotions, and so much more.Busy builders can blast into hands-on, building play fun (with a circuit-building STEM twist!) with EI’s brand-new Circuit Explorer sets! Kids follow the arrows to connect the pieces, at the same time connecting circuits that activate lights, sounds, and moving pieces. Get started with the Rocket set, complete with light-up nose cone and nozzles, Space Rover with light-up headlights, and Landing Pad with color-changing lights. Progress to the Rover set and build a Communications Station with a rotating Radar Dish, Power Station with Rover Charger, Powered Space Rover and Freewheeling Space Rover, both with light-up headlights. Then surprise your 3-D, circuit-building sweetie with the Deluxe Base Station, a Deluxe Base Station with circuit-powered Towers, Spinning Diner Sign, Planetarium with color-changing dome light, Voice Synthesizer Station with 10 space sounds, Communication Station with rotating Radar Dish, a Powered Space Rover and a freewheeling Space Rover both with light-up headlights. The perfect holiday gifts, the pieces in each set work with the others for a totally interconnected circuit system, and each set includes pretend play figures perfect for imaginative play. The only circuit-building set with buildable, 3-D pieces, Circuit Explorers are available exclusively on Amazon.com.Puppet shows are another great way to light up your kids’ imaginations! Put those cardboard delivery boxes to use and create a homemade puppet theater following the simple instructions at AskaGranny. Let your big kid decorate the theater using paints and markers, then pull out your puppet collection – or make your own sock puppets or tube puppets -  and act out your kiddo’s favorite book or let them freestyle with a story of their own making. Also, for the ultimate time-saving way to have fun, check out this super simple creative video featuring ways to make puppets out of regular household items and foods! They'll never look at their orange the same way again!Hands-On Fun for PreschoolersUnplugged, hands-on playtime is a must in every preschooler’s day. Hands-on play engages all of a preschooler’s senses, building critical fine motor skills, and exercising problem-solving skills.Design & Drill® Bolt Buddies™ are perfect for hands-on preschool playtime! Kids use snap-together pieces to build the bodies of a Rocket, Racecar, or Recycling Truck, then use a real, working, kid-friendly drill to bolt them together. When the hands-on construction fun is done, use the included driver and pal figurines to play out various pretend play scenarios, encouraging creativity and imagination, too!Slime is also a great hands-on activity for preschoolers! Perfect for sensory stimulation, slime is calming, promotes mindfulness and focus, encourages independent play, and helps build fine motor skills. Find all kinds of easy slime recipes, including MomDot.com’s edible slime, sand slime, rainbow explosion slime, and more, on our Easy SlimeTime Pinterest Board! Or create a homemade batch of party slime to give as an adorable birthday gift or party favor! Add glitter, Playfoam, pool noodles or whatever you fancy to make your batch colorful and textured!Photo credit: MomDot.comHands-On Fun for ToddlersEven though they’re not in school, toddlers are clocking more screen time than ever during this unusual year at home. Hands-on play is a great way to practice basic concepts including shapes, colors, letters, and numbers, develop language skills, and introduce early math concepts like bigger and smaller, shorter and taller, counting, sorting, and matching.The hands-on fun really stacks up with EI’s Bright Basics Nest & Stack Cubes! Kids as young as two can build a 3-foot tall tower by stacking 10 cubes featuring animals, shapes, numerals, quantities, and sweet starry scenes. When they’re done stacking, toddlers can nest each cube inside the next, building visual discrimination, spatial reasoning, fine motor, and early math skills as they play.Sidewalk chalk is a highly-satisfying, hands-on activity perfect for toddlers. Let them choose the colors, then go to town designing their own outdoor works of art. You can join in the fun, drawing everything from rainbows to hopscotch courts, cats, and clouds. Sidewalk paint is a slippery twist on sidewalk chalk and you can make your own! See how at our Home's Cool video tutorial.

Eric decided to help his friend Ashlee donate to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) for this month’s Change It Up! program, where each month an employee chooses a worthy organization for which to fundraise and collect spare change. After many of Ashlee’s relatives were diagnosed with various cancers, she made it her duty to support LLS, the world's largest non-profit health agency dedicated to funding blood cancer research and patient services. The organization has invested almost $1 billion in research to advance therapies. According to LLS, their efforts have significantly increased the survival rate for many blood cancer patients since 1960. Due to Ashlee’s committed support to LLS, she has been nominated to participate in their 2014 “Man & Woman of the Year” (MWOY) fundraising campaign. MWOY is a friendly competition between LLS teams across America to raise money in 10-weeks (March 22 - May 31). Ashlee created the team “Never Give Up”, after her family’s motto. Her team’s goal is to raise $100,000 within the 10-week period. We are rooting for you, Ashley and Eric!

I just read an article about being a great gift-giver. Basically, it said to give what the person really wanted, or had even asked for, instead of what you THINK they’d like.As a parent this is always a challenge for me. I think Emma should love Lalaloopsy Dolls – I mean seriously, those outfits! And the swingy little legs! And you can set up all their little packages and make a little village! And she likes them, a little.What she loves is Lego Friends. We’ve got a few sets. Christmas would be the perfect time to give her the super expensive, gigantic Lego Friends house, right? But which Lego set is on her list? The Monster house! I guess I collect deep and she collects wide?And the top of her list… an American Doll. Now, she has baby dolls (four to be exact) but they don’t get played with too often. And she has Barbie dolls, but they don’t get much play either. So why would I buy her an (expensive!) American Doll? Except that it’s what she asked for. Twice. I had her write two lists to Santa, just to be sure, and I’m glad I did because at the end of the second list, she added a “neklis” for me and a “gitar pedl” for my husband. And, as a friend pointed out, she isn’t a baby or a Barbie, but she is a little girl, just like an American Girl.Now if only I hadn’t waited so long for her to change her mind… guess it’s a trip to the American Doll store for me, since it’s too late to order online.Next year I’ll know, and start at the top of her list. Happy Shopping and Happy Holidays to you all!

With the holidays around the corner, we understand that shopping can be stressful and pricey! Here is a list of great preschool gift ideas—all under $25!Puppet-on-a-Stick™ (set of 3)-- $23.99Ages 4+Three oversized, easy-to-handle puppets on sticks inspire imaginative play with silly faces, movable mouths and endless possibilities.Get your puppets here: http://www.educationalinsights.com/product/puppet-on-a-stick--8482-+%28set+of+3%29.do?from=Search# The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game™-- $21.99Ages 3+This award-winning preschool game develops matching and sorting skills, strategic thinking, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and pre-handwriting skills. To top it off, it’s fun to play with the whole family. What more can you ask for?Get your copy at your local Target or here: http://www.educationalinsights.com/product/the+sneaky%2C+snacky+squirrel+game--8482-.do?sortby=ourPicks&sortby=&&from=Search# Magic Moves® Electronic Wand-- $19.99Ages 3+Nothing gets the kids up and movin’ like Magic Moves! Ninety fun physical commands, twinkling light shows, and 26 musical tunes to get little ones up and moving! This powerful wand not only gets them exercising, but it also promotes creativity and listening skills. Perfect for indoor play on rainy or cold winter days!Check it out here: http://www.educationalinsights.com/product/magic+moves--174+electronic+wand.do# BBQ Blitz!®-- $24.99Ages 4+This burger building bonanza helps work fine motor skills, color recognition, and matching while having a flipping-fun time with the whole family.Get your grill on here: http://www.educationalinsights.com/product/bbq+blitz!--174-.do?from=Search# Buck, Buck, Moose!™ Game-- $12.99Ages 4+Buck, Buck, MOOSE! This fast-action, color-matching card game is perfect for preschoolers! This riveting ranger game will help your little ones with color matching, speed, and sportsmanship.Check out the forest fun here: http://www.educationalinsights.com/product/buck%2C+buck%2C+moose!--8482-+game.do?from=Search#

‘Tis the season for tiny gifts! Today, we’re featuring great gifts for stocking stuffers, Hanukkah, and Kwanza all under $20! Make sure you don’t miss out on these wonderful goodies!Travel Blurt!™ —$12.99Take the fun of Blurt™ on the go! This hilarious, fast-paced, word-defining race game is now small enough to take with you anywhere! Great for a quick game in the car, waiting room, and even while waiting for a meal at a restaurant.Check it out here: http://www.educationalinsights.com/product/travel+blurt!--174-.do?from=SearchKanoodle™-- $12.99Perfect for puzzle lovers everywhere, this on-the-go, brain-twisting solitaire game is sure to challenge even the most formidable player. Playable in either 2-D or 3-D, this travel game ranges from basic to deviously hard and includes a 48-page illustrated book of puzzles waiting to be completed! It's the perfect gift to keep even the biggest brainiac busy!See more here:http://www.educationalinsights.com/product/kanoodle-trade-.do?from=SearchPlayfoam® Classic 4-Pack-- $4.99Playfoam allows preschoolers to express their creativity—with no mess to clean up afterward! It’s squishable, shapable, squashable fun that never dries out. It's the perfect stocking stuffer for the little artist in your home!Check out more Playfoam here: http://www.educationalinsights.com/product/playfoam--174-+classic+4-pack.do?sortby=ourPicks&sortby=&&from=Search# KaBAM!™-- $12.99Only the speediest word-builders win this quick-thinking, head-to-head word game. Featuring letters and letter combinations that promote reading, vocabulary expansion, and spelling skills, KaBAM™ is the perfect fast-action word game for word lovers!Check out this rapid word-building game right here: http://www.educationalinsights.com/product/kabam!--8482-.do?from=Search# TriTective™--  $12.99Race to crack the case using only 3-letter words! This game is no ordinary mystery and is deceptively tough for its size. If you're looking to add a challenge to your next game night, TriTective™ will do the trick!Learn more about TriTective here: http://www.educationalinsights.com/product/tritective--8482-.do?from=Search#

The holiday season is in full swing and to commemorate this special time, we're giving Facebook fans an exclusive opportunity to win a copy of our newest product, Shelby's Snack Shack™ Game-- the sister game to our best selling Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel™ Game. Shelby's Snack Shack™ Game is a number and counting bone-anza! It's the perfect game for preschoolers and pug lovers everywhere, ages 4 and up.To enter the contest, simply:1. Click on this link: : Team Shelby!2. "Like" Shelby's page (the actual pug this game is modeled after!)3. Share the contest post with family and friends to be eligible to win!And that's it! Shelby's Snack Shack™ isn't available to the public until January 2013, so hurry on and enter to claim this very special prize! Contest ends Friday, December 7th, 2012 at MIDNIGHT PST! Good Luck!