Hallmark Reveals New Keepsakes For Fall & Winter

While at BlogHer '12 in NYC just over a week ago, I had the chance to join friends to visit Hallmark for a sneak peak at what was new for the holidays this year.

There were some awesome new products that we sampled, but of course my first interest is always seeing what's new for the Hallmark Keepsake ornaments. Our Christmas Tree/Hanukkah Bush (it's what we call it) is the ultimate geek tree, and there's always at least one new Hallmark ornament selected for the tree each year. I think the oldest Hallmark geek ornament is my Star Trek shuttlecraft ornament with Spock's voice. My mom got that for me years ago - when I was a teen, I think - and it still works just as well as the day I opened it.

Looking over the new ornaments, I immediately saw the ones Aaron and I would want:

Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, The Amazing Spiderman

They also will have an Avengers set, but it wasn't on display. I'm sure my mom will get that set for us - she gets Aaron a superhero ornament every year.

For the kids, there were several new items. I loved the interactive storybooks that actually wait for a child's response and customize the story based on what option the child picks. It's like the old Choose Your Own Adventure books, only these are digital and voice responsive. Mira is going to love trying out one of these books - she always wants to have a say in the story.

Along the same line are the Interactive Story Buddies - they're plush animals who come with their own books. When you read the book out loud, the plush animals "listen" and then respond to key words in the book. The voice recognition is amazing, and it feels like the toy is listening to the story as well. (And chiming in just like any kid who wants to add a little more to the story!) It's quite possible that Nugget and Watson will find themselves at our house very soon.

In their back-to-school line was a cute little bug called Bug 'Em. It's a pint-sized plush that can hold cards and other tokens of encouragement and give an unexpected lift to any youngster’s day. My two girls have already claimed this little guy and asked that I use him to hide rewards for them when they've had good days. So I do - if they find him sitting out, they know they've done something good and look inside to see what goodies he might hold. They're so excited when he appears on the table or the couch!

Hey there, I've got a happy surprise for you!

Another cool kid product I got to try out was Text Bands. Text Bands allow kids to send text messages from wristband to wristband, expressing themselves and spreading encouragement in a fun, new way. How? Kids enter up to 10 characters into the screen on the band and bump fists or shake hands to pass the message. The bands light up and the messages transfer from band to band. They look and feel like an 80's flashback to me - but a good kind of flashback.

Getting a sneak peek at some of the new Hallmark products was so much fun. I love how they're working interactive technology into many products for kids - it's fun, educational, and gives kids a chance to feel like they have some control over their stories. And I know we'll have some new superheroes to add to our tree this year, taking their place among all of the other older ornaments.

Full disclosure: I was invited to attend a gathering with Hallmark to see the new products and received a gift bag with a sample of some of the items we tried out. All opinions are my own.

LeapFrog: Making Learning Fun With Tag & The New LeapPad!

I recently had the chance to try out some new products from LeapFrog in anticipation of the holiday season. I hosted a gathering of friends so we could all try out the LeapFrog Tag reading system and the brand new, ultra-cool LeapPad. As you can imagine, these were big hits with all of the kids.

My family is no stranger to LeapFrog. Each of my daughters has a Leapster with several games, and we already had a Tag reader. I love the educational games they get to play, and it's a great feeling to see my kids learning while having fun at the same time. For the party, I received a Tag reading pen for the guests to use, but I brought out the pen we already owned as well to give everyone more of a chance to use them.

The Tag reading system is designed for pre-readers through beginning readers. The pen works with special Tag books to either read each page to the child, or help the child with individual words or sounding out a word. You only need to touch the pen to the word and it immediately speaks the word for you. (After using a USB cable to connect the pen to your computer and download the book's information to the pen.)

But there's actually so much more the Tag pen can do beyond reading the words. Touch the pictures and the characters talk or sound effects are given. And most books contain games near the end that work with the pen to reinforce reading skills.

Mira can read just like her big sister now - and she's starting to recognize words thanks to Tag!

The Tag pen can also be used to learn geography. The LeapFrog Interactive World Map teaches about the different countries of the world as well as directions and distance through exploration with the pen and games available to play with the map.

My seven year old wasn't very interested in this product because she's already an advanced reader, but my four year old is obsessed with Tag. She loves to read the books "all by herself" with the help of the Tag pen, and it's helping her learn to recognize sight words. One of her friends also loved the Tag system so much that we sent his parents home with our extra pen and a couple of the books to get them started.

The big hit of the party had to be the LeapPad learning tablet, however. Several of us commented on how often our kids want to play with our smartphones or iPads, but we worry about them being broken or cluttering up our screen with nothing but apps for the kids. (Personally, I have barely been able to use my iPad because my kids love it.) The LeapPad, however, is the solution to win back our smartphones and tablets!

Mira even relaxes with her LeapPad like I do when using my iPad

The LeapPad is a tablet computer designed for kids 4-9 years old. It's smaller than an iPad but larger than a smartphone. The touch screen responds to both a finger touch and the included stylus. Like the grown up versions, you can download different apps for the LeapPad, including games, ebooks, and videos. (Apps are downloaded by connecting it to your computer with the included USB cable. And also like the grown up version, apps aren't free.)

It features a camera on the backside that can take still photos or video, and an editing program to create silly faces or add digital scenery to your photos. It has a cartridge slot at the top to allow you to use Leapster Explorer cartridge games as well.

I like the versatility of the LeapPad. It's simple enough for a non-reader like my four year old to navigate and use with little to no help from me, yet there are plenty of challenging games and activities for my seven year old. My younger daughter already considers herself a photographer now thanks to the camera app, and is now starting to dabble in shooting video.

All of the kids at our house had no trouble working the LeapPad. The youngest of the group - three years old - quickly found the drawing app and in no time was creating a masterpiece using the different drawing tools provided on the screen. The older kids played games and loved the interactive Cars ebook.

Reading ability is optional with the LeapPad - every kid loved it!

As for the parents, we all agreed the thick plastic case looked sturdy enough to handle rough play from our kids - far better than a iPad would fare! And the $99 retail price is a fair price for an electronic device that can do so much.

The one downside we noticed is that the LeapPad is battery powered. With heavy use, it needed new batteries by the end of the day, which can really add up. A rechargable battery pack would have been a better choice - we can only hope that it might be an option in the future. But since the party, my daughters have only been using the LeapPad for an hour or less each day, resulting in a longer timespan between battery changes. (Note: an AC adapter is available, which is great but limits the portability of the device when plugged in.)

Overall, I'm really impressed with the new LeapPad learning tablet and I predict it'll be one of the hottest toys for the holidays. I also like how many books and interactive products are available for the Tag reader now - my younger daughter has already pointed out several new Tag books she'd like Santa to bring her.

Take my advice - shop early for these educational toys! My daughters can't get enough of their LeapPad and Tag books, and I like that they're learning new reading and math concepts while they play. 

Full disclosure: I was provided with the above LeapFrog educational electronics and accessories to facilitate this review and demonstrate to guests at a play party. My party guests were also provided with coupons for discounts on LeapFrog products. All opinions stated here are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of LeapFrog. 

Help For Everyday Toddler Battles

I go through battles with my three year old on a daily basis. It used to be far worse, when I didn't understand where this rebellion over every minor detail came from. I mean, does it really matter that much if I hand over her snack before her juice?

The hardest part of the day for us is morning, when Cordy wants nothing to do with getting ready for school. Despite loving school, every day begins with, "I don't want to go to school!" She drags through each task of the morning, unwilling to move at anything faster than a slug's pace.

It's because of this that the books Ready for the Day and Ready for Bed are now regular reads at our house. These books from the ParentSmart/KidHappy series feature tales of getting through these two difficult transitions at the beginning and end of the day. They're like a lesson for both me and Cordy in parent/child relationships.

Ready for the Day tells the story of a little girl who at first is resistant to getting ready for school. But her dad uses several different techniques to encourage her to get ready, and as a reward they have time to play before going to school. Dad gives her choices when getting ready, like asking which of two outfits she wants to wear. He also expresses understanding of how she feels, and points out when she uses her manners or otherwise behaves appropriately.

I can vouch for the technique of providing choices. Once I learned how to do this, it cut our battles down by half. Given a choice between two things or activities, Cordy feels in control and it often disarms her stubbornness. I just have to be careful not to give her too many choices, or she feels overwhelmed.

In Ready for Bed, a mother and her son go through all of the bedtime activities. The boy is grumpy and doesn't want to comply, but his mom makes it fun by doing many of the same techniques in the other book. She offers him a choice of which PJs he wants to wear, sympathizes when he doesn't want to get out of the bath, and encourages him when he remembers his manners. Bedtime ends up being fun, without tantrums and resistance.

The illustrations in these two books are beautiful and lively. The action is drawn well and the characters' feelings can easily be determined by looking at their faces. I'm also glad to see diversity in these books, both in ethnicity and including a dad in one book. I haven't seen many picture books that feature a dad in a primary care role.

Cordy really enjoys both books, too. She celebrates each accomplishment along with the young characters, and when a choice comes up in the story, she tries to make the choice as well. I think that seeing the positive interactions modeled by the parent and child in each book has made her think more about her own actions. The dialogue does seem a little forced at times, but otherwise it flows naturally and could be words spoken by a parent and child. It's been a good refresher for me, too - I'm consciously trying to offer more choices and encourage her when she does good things, rather than focus on the negative.

These books also provide a script for how early morning and bedtime should run, and can provide a sense of security for a child. I often remind Cordy of the little girl in the story, asking her, "What did she do next to get ready for school?" It's helping her remember which tasks need to be accomplished each morning.

Thanks to Parent Bloggers Network for this review - you can read more reviews of Ready for the Day and Ready for Bed at their blog!

Babybug: A Magazine For the Short-Attention Set

I'm sure Mira is a girly-girl in the making. For example, she has a strange fascination with shoes. Any shoe in our house is sure to be picked up and examined, and if she finds one that she thinks is pretty, she tries to put it on her foot. She loves satin ribbons, jewelry, and feather boas. And she steals every one of my magazines. Mira watches me read magazines, and has decided she needs to be doing the same. But Self and People aren't exactly ideal reading for babies, and I get tired of trying to read around the half-ripped pages.

Now she can have a magazine designed for her age group. Parent Bloggers told me about Babybug, a magazine designed for children 6 months to 3 years old. I'll admit I wasn't sure what to expect, since I didn't know how a periodical could be designed to interest someone who can't read or even understand that many words yet.

What arrived in our mailbox looks like a board book, much smaller than your average magazine. Each page is thick - not cardboard, but very thick paper. This gave me hope that each issue might survive more than a week without being shredded. The outer cover had an introduction to that issue for parents, discussing the theme of that month's issue and suggestions on how to make reading these stories and poems to your child more interesting.

Inside Babybug, there are lots of poems and very short stories. The longest story is 6 pages long, and it is the continuing adventures of Kim and Carrots. Kim is a little girl, and Carrots is her stuffed bunny, and the first pages of each issue feature a new story about them. Following that is a series of poems and rhymes, emphasizing simple words and lots of repetition.

Each page features large fonts and is filled with bright, colorful illustrations. I know the large font was probably intended for children, to help with letter recognition, but I appreciate being able to read the text without difficulty as I hold it out so Mira can see the pictures well.

The illustrations are beautiful, too. Some look like watercolor paintings, some look like cut out shapes and animals, and some are very detailed drawings. Lots of animals are represented, and I like that there is a lot of human diversity represented in the illustrations as well.

Mira loves listening to the rhymes and short stories. Like I said, the longest story is 6 pages, and there isn't a lot of text on a single page, so this is perfect for the short-attention span set. Sometimes we'll sit and read the entire issue. Other times I'll read a page or two and then she's off to do something else. She also will pull Babybug off the table and page through it herself at least once a day.

And my initial hopes about the weight of the paper came true. She cannot rip these pages! It takes a lot of effort to tear out an entire page, and even more effort to rip a page in two. Even my determined ripper has yet to pull out a page, although she continues to try. I can see each issue adding to our library, right next to her board books. With how well they hold up, it's like getting a new book each issue.

Babybug has 9 issues a year, and is only the first in several magazines for children published by Cricket. As children get older, they have developmentally appropriate magazines for each age group. I'm a big fan of Babybug, as is Mira, and I think we'll continue to enjoy this magazine as it fosters a love of reading in my little girl.

A Magazine For The Preschool Set

Did you get any magazines as a kid? I'm not talking about your grandmother's National Geographic that she gave you each month to "expand your mind", I mean magazines meant for kids. Growing up, there were two that were my staples throughout elementary school: Ranger Rick, and Highlights.

I loved Highlights magazine (now in its 60th year!). It helped improve my reading skills, it taught me fun craft ideas (my mom may never forgive me for emptying the milk into the sink to use the carton for a bird feeder), and it was entertaining. When it arrived in my mailbox each month, I'd immediately turn to the Hidden Pictures section and not move on until I found every single object. And who can forget Goofus and Gallant? (OK, I admit it - every now and then I was rooting for Goofus.)

My grandmother, in her enthusiastic effort to get Cordy reading as soon as possible, subscribed to Highlights for us. But Highlights is for elementary school kids, not preschoolers, and Cordy wasn't interested. We did a little internet checking, and soon found that Highlights now makes a magazine for the preschool (2-5) set: High Five. One quick call, and the subscription was switched to a more age appropriate choice.

Parent Bloggers asked me if I wanted to receive High Five to review, and I explained that I already received it, but would still be happy to join in for a review.

We love this magazine. It's full of stories, bright, colorful artwork, and games that keep Cordy entertained and nurture her natural curiosity. It doesn't assume that the child can already read, yet the text is simple and in a large font to encourage the beginning reader. The picture to word ratio is much higher than in Highlights, too, which helps a preschooler "read" the story without needing to know the words.

Some of the features I like best in Highlights are also present in High Five. They still have the Hidden Pictures, although these are far easier for little eyes to find. Crafts and cooking projects are still included, too - one of Cordy's favorites is building a paper chain caterpillar. Nature stories teach children about the world around them, and short poems and action rhymes introduce the ideas of rhyme and rhythm.

My favorite part of High Five are the English and Spanish stories. These stories are mostly in English, with Spanish phrases spoken by some of the characters. Thankfully, there is a guide for each phrase, instructing parents how to pronounce the words and giving a translation.

Each section of High Five is short (1-5 pages), so you can read a quick story with your child when you only have a moment (or if your kid has a short attention span, like mine), or snuggle into the couch and explore several stories and rhymes together if you have more time.

And unlike a book, a new issue of High Five is in our mailbox each month. I don't know about your preschoolers, but I can tell you mine loves to get mail. Like, jumps up and down and runs around the house clutching it to her chest and saying "I got a magiiiizzzinne!" kind of love. Seeing her face light up when I tell her she has mail, and then handing her a magazine filled with fun pictures, stories and crafts, is probably the best part of it. Now she has her own magazine to read, and won't need to steal my magazines to pretend she has mail.

I highly recommend High Five magazine. It provides new and interesting stories to read to your child each month, and encourages creativity through crafts and activities. And everyone loves getting mail, right?

Win a subscription! The Parent Bloggers network will be hosting a Blog Blast on March 7 and giving away a free subscription to either High Five or Highlights. Check their blog in early March for details!