Reviews for 3-5 years old
What if you could buy a great gift for your grandchild (something you’ve found on Grandkids Gift Guide, of course!) — make that gift even more special by personalizing it and wrapping it in adventure — and, better, yet — make that special experience last 1 to 2 weeks, and forever in their memories? A new “adventure by mail” service called Giftventure will make that happen for you! All you need to do is go to their website and order a giftventure by choosing an adventure and answering a few short questions about your grandchild to personalize it. Choose a treasure map adventure for kids 4-8, a maze adventure for kids 8-12, or choose from several seasonal/holiday adventures. Their characters include: Captain Percy the Pirate, Fay the Fairy Princess, Gunther the Dragon, and holiday favorites — Santa Claus, Easter Bunny and Cupid. A giftventure includes 3-4 mailers to your granchild sent every three days from the character you choose. The mailers include colorful letters and posters, as well as puzzles and clues leading them to the location of your gift. Simply provide Giftventure with your grandchild’s name and address, location where your gift will be hidden, as well as a favorite toy/game and landmark to be incorporated in their special story. Giftventure will do the rest! If you know you want to give your grandchild a giftventure but don’t know exactly when — or you’re waiting for a special occasion to occur (a birthday, the holidays — or a special visit at your house or theirs!), Giftventure provides two simple options. One option is to have the giftventure mailed to you or your grandchild’s parents as a package, where everything is included, and the letters, etc. can be distributed (by grown-ups) at the most appropriate times. Or you can purchase a Giftventure gift certificate, which can be redeemed by you or your grandchild’s parents at a later date. Once you decide to give a giftventure, all you need is the gift — and you’re only a few clicks away from that! So… let the adventure and the memory-making begin!
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The King of Skittledeedoo (personally signed copy)$15 at Power for Kids |
Award-winning television and film writer Patricia Rust shares with us her passion for children’s literacy in her delightful book, The King of Skittledeedoo. Written for preschoolers to be read to or for early readers (up to age eight) to read to themselves, The King of Skittledeedoo is written entirely in rhyming verse, which is a great way to get children to pay attention to the letter sounds that make up words. The book also introduces children to words they may not recognize yet, such as, “preening,” “amuck,” “girth,” and “beseech,” to name a few. This combination of rhyming verse and new vocabulary words makes The King of Skittledeedoo a perfect book to read aloud to your grandchild, placing emphasis on the rhymes and explaining the definitions of the new words. The King of Skittledeedoo tells the story of a stately king who loses all of his supposed stateliness — his crown, clothes, jewels, etc. — when a tragic fire burns throughout the kingdom. Left with only a towel, he tries to calm his kingdom’s people down by letting them know he is in control, but without his usual garb, his people don’t recognize him. So they put him to the test and ask him to prove he is their king by adding simple numbers and spelling words such as “potatoes,” “mother,” and even, “Skittledeedoo.” When he fails miserably, two children decide to bring him to school, believing that whether or not he is their king, he, like everyone, should know the “three R’s.” The tale ends happily, of course, but we’ll leave it up to you to discover the ending for yourself. The literacy message is clear, yet isn’t preachy. Along with writing for TV and film, Patricia Rust is a contributing writer to the Kids Page of the Los Angeles Times, and is the founder of Power for Kids, a nonprofit organization that helps spread the word about the importance of children’s literacy. You may also recognize the whimsical, cartoon-like illustrations of San Wei Chan, an award-winning animator and illustrator for Warner Brothers Studios, where he worked on beloved shows, such as Looney Tunes. The King of Skittledeedoo, a full-color, hardcover children’s book, makes a nice gift, and when you order from her website (see “Click Here” link below), Patricia Rust is happy to personally inscribe your copy!
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First of all, we love the entrepreneurial success story behind this product. Louise Stall, the inventor of CARES — Kids Fly Safe airline safety harness, is a grandmother of 9 who was inspired to make airplane travel safer for her own grandchildren and for all young children. As she watched her own kids struggle to fly with her small grandchildren, Louise recognized a problem that most of us have encountered. Normal airline seat belts are not safe for toddlers and preschoolers, and it’s nearly impossible to lug a car seat onto the plane along with carry-ons and children themselves. Sketches and work to file for a patent eventually led to a partnership with AmSafe who also manufactures most of the airline seat belts found on today’s flights. After 4 years of developing and testing the prototypes for safety, the FAA certified the CARES system as the first and only alternative to car seats allowed on planes. The best thing about the CARES system, aside from peace of mind, is that it weighs just one pound. It’s packaged in a small nylon travel pouch with an instructional dvd and a safety card similar to the one found on airplanes. It can fit easily in a carry-on bag or can even be carried by your grandchild. When installed, the restraint system itself looks similar to a 5-point harness system used in an infant or toddler/convertible car seat. It should be noted that installation varies slightly depending on the type of airline seats and tray tables on the plane (and this is clearly diagrammed on the instructional safety card). On seats with a “non-recessed” tray table the CARES is installed under the tray table of the person behind you (allowing that person to use the tray table). Thus the CARES can be used throughout the entire flight. On seats where the with a “recessed” tray table, the CARES is installed over the tray table, thus it can only be used during taxi, takeoff and landing. Cares is designed for children age 1 and older who weigh between 22 and 44 pounds. Louise and her family-run business suggest that airlines should be required to carry and offer the CARES restraint to any child flying with them who fits that profile — and that sounds good to us. In the meantime, if you have grandchildren who fall in that range consider presenting them (and their parents!) with this gift of safety and convenience, invented and brought to market by a concerned and industrious grandparent — bravo!
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Strategy games don’t tend to invoke fits of laughter. Head scratching, huffing and puffing, or contemplative silence — perhaps. But laughter? Not usually. That’s why a new game called Jishaku, the Japanese word for “magnet,” is so much fun. The game features finely polished hematite magnets as playing pieces that get placed in available spaces on a foam game base. The strategy is to use the magnets’ force (their North & South poles) to repel the magnets closest to them on the base without forcing them to connect with other magnets. There are three variations of the game but the most popular (and simplest) is “I’m Out,” where the goal is to get rid of all of your magnets. As described above, when other magnets connect with yours during your turn you must take all of the magnets back with you. The first couple of turns are easier because there is plenty of space to spread the magnets out. But the fun starts once things get more crowded. You and your grandchildren will be constantly surprised when the magnets instantly snap together without warning. And then the laughter starts. It’s so much fun that you almost don’t mind losing! Although Jishaku is intended for players age 8 and up, it’s possible to play with slightly younger grandchildren depending on the child (the magnets must not go anywhere near a child’s mouth!). Older grandchildren and adults will enjoy the challenge of mastering the power of magnetic force. Jishaku is thoughtful, yet surprising and fun!
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Lacing cards have been around for eons and the simple yet satisfying concept still make them a popular gift idea today. Just thread the shoelace-like string under and over the holes that surround the colorful image painted on the card. Grandchildren ages three to about five or so will appreciate this quiet-time play that encourages them to focus and exercise their fine-motor skills. And, perhaps, you’ll enjoy the memory of doing this same activity as a child! Sturdy non-bendable cardboard sets of 5 cards measuring 8 x 9 1/2 come in 12 varieties, including Friendly Pets (shown here), Things that Go, Under the Sea, and Barn Animal Musicians. Like all of Eeboo’s products, their lacing cards feature original art from well-known children’s book illustrators, which adds to their nostalgic appeal. So lace up, and take a stroll down memory lane with your grandchildren!
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We’re convinced that the best way to learn new concepts is to make games out of them. Whizizzle Phonics Games are a fun and effective way for children ages 4 and older to learn to read — and a wonderful way for you to be involved in the process. Each card deck (decks 1-3 and 4-6 are sold as 2 separate sets) teaches different sounds. For instance, Game 1 teaches short vowel sounds in consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words — “leg,” “sad,” “cup,” etc. The game-playing rules are similar to other card deck games. Each player is dealt 7 cards that include “word” cards and “action” cards — such as “Leap Frog,” which means the next player’s turn is skipped, or “Turn Around,” which reverses the direction of play. There is a draw pile and a discard pile. The person whose turn it is must choose a card from his or her own hand to match the vowel or consonant sounds on the card face-up on the discard pile. For instance, if the card on the discard pile features the word “red,” your grandchild can choose to match it with a card that features the words, “rag” (the beginning sound), “pen” (the middle sound), or “dad” (the ending sound). The word and the sound they’re matching (vs. the letter) must be uttered to complete the turn. An “action” card can also be played if there is no matching “word” card, or to simply make things more interesting. It’s fun, portable, and one more way to help your grandchild learn to read. Play it and watch what happens!
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Joy is the Greatest Gift, the first in a new series of inspirational children’s books by Focus Friends, intends to teach young children to appreciate and find happiness in the people and things around them, and spread this joy to others. Joy is the Greatest Gift simplifies concepts found in countless books for adults who want to live more fulfilling lives, allowing them to be understood and implemented by young children (ages 2-9). The author recognizes that like adults, children can experience times of sadness and anger, and though they can not necessarily change the circumstances prompting those feelings, they can be encouraged to recognize and embrace the things that make them happy or “joyful” every day. In essence, it introduces the power of positive thinking. All of the outdoor and indoor delights are highlighted — flower gardens, butterflies, puddles and starlit skies — as well as favorite toys, snacks and cozy naps. And, of course, the powers of positive relationships are emphasized, including those with parents, grandparents, and good friends. Joy is the Greatest Gift is a 32 page, 9 x 11 hardcover book with a jacket, and is beautifully illustrated by an award-winning artist. In addition to this book about beauty and joy, the company plans to publish more books with “focused messages,” such as appreciation, wisdom and inspiration.
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Are we there yet? When it comes to a family road trip, this is surely the most frequently asked question. Eeboo’s Travel Bingo game offers one solution (and while it may not resolve the problem for the entire trip it will surely help out). This beloved and easy-to-learn game has been transformed to be played in the car. Four easy-to-hold square pads (pencils included) display drawings of things that are commonly spotted while driving, such as: stop signs, bridges, dogs, motorcycles, flags, stoplights and gas pumps. Just like traditional bingo, your grandchild (and whoever else is playing) mark the item/spot when they see it and the first one to complete a row and yell, “Bingo!” wins. It’s great for all ages, although younger children may want to team up with someone since it’s harder for them to spot things as quickly. The game comes in a nicely-designed box and was awarded the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award. Eeboo also sells a travel version of their matching game and color dominoes.
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Our family loves tangram puzzles, so we were excited to find Tangoes Jr., which is a wonderful tangram puzzle “kit” for children as young as four. What I like most about Tangoes Jr. is its packaging. The sturdy cardboard puzzle cards are neatly tucked away in a flip-top briefcase about the same size as a small laptop computer. Then a drawer slides out from the right side holding each of the seven puzzle pieces in its own place. The cards, puzzles, and puzzle pieces are the perfect size for young hands, large enough to prevent fine-motor frustrations. The puzzle pieces are also lightly magnetized — again, helping to avoid frustrations from slippage. This feature, in addition to the packaging, makes the game a perfect car and travel activity. Tangoes Jr. comes with twelve 2-sided puzzle cards (the twelfth card is blank so your grandchild can create his/her own tangram puzzle). The other 11 cards (totaling 22 puzzles), have one version of a puzzle on one side (Level 1), and another version on the reverse side (Level 2). The Level 1 sides display the seven shapes, each shape clearly outlined, with all of the shapes combined to form the overall tangram puzzle shape (such as a sailboat, a house, a cat, etc.). In Level 1, matching shapes is the essential skill. The Level 2 sides do not show the dividing lines — only a silhouette of the shape. This level tests memory skills, spatial and visual discrimination, and important mathematical principles — the beauty of tangrams! Tangoes Jr. are a wonderful activity for you to do with your grandchildren, allowing you to guide them as they move on to some of the more challenging puzzles. Some of the Level 2 puzzles may even have you scratching your head. You can also purchase extra Tangoes Jr. Puzzle Packs when the original cards are mastered. For older grandchildren, be sure to check out Classic Tangoes, and the other Tangoes sets.
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We love trying out products invented by parents who were inspired by their kids. In this case, it’s Little Capers — spawned from a mom whose toddler boy went through a typical superhero phase, set on wearing dish towel capes clipped to his shirt… anywhere. She had to do something! Many of us moms can relate, often feeling compelled to placate our young heroes with very un-original, un-stylish, and un-comfortable polyester costumes of superheroes who shall remain un-named. Alas, there is hope for our little heroes! Little Capers are 100% cotton, stylish T-shirts (with velcro-attached matching shiny capes) adorned with original positive hero-like images, such as a star, the earth, a peace sign or a thunderbolt. The shirts come in both short and long sleeves, and girl and boy colors and styles. Better yet, they’re made in Los Angeles, U.S.A. in a “non-sweatshop” facility. Choose from infant sizes (without capes), on up to size 8. My daughter loves her black with pink and sparkly silver star shirt, and I love that it’s stylish and can be worn with our without the pink sparkly cape. I also love that the message it sends is nonviolent and noncommercial — almost impossible these days. With this gift, you and your grandchild will both be heroes!
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