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Aqua Doodle & KidKleen Bath Blizzard
I have seen the Aqua Doodle toys in stores and on TV for quite a while now. I figured that it would be another one of those toys that just ends up on the pile of "played with twice" toys. I was wrong.
The Aqua Doodle toy is a wonderful thing. Filled up with only water, the Aqua Doodle does just that, doodles with water. My girls have spent hours sprawled out on their bellies drawing and ocassionally fighting over the Aqua Doodle pen. They then discovered that they could just get their hands wet in the sink and make hand prints. They were hooked. This toy is as cool as it looks online, requires no clean-up other than a place to let the doodle mat dry, and provides endless hours of fun. It truly is fantastic.
My only criticism of the Aqua Doodle is that I really wish it came with more than one pen. The mat is big enough to accomodate a few little artists, so I would really like to see at least two pens come in the pack. That is my only negative. It really is a cool toy.
We were also the lucky recipients of a KidKleen Bath Blizzard. Follow the simple directions, add a cap full of their bubbles and some warm water and turn on. My, my, my, talk about a jacuzzi for kids. The Bath Blizzard runs for a good 15 minutes and fills up the tub with perfect clear fun bubbles.
If you have kids with sensitive skin, there’s no reason to worry. I have the most sensitive girls on the planet and there was not a single problem. The bubble solution has been Dermatologist approved so there’s no need for concern. All you need to do is follow directions and turn on the fun.
These two toys have been the absolute best fun for the girls in a long time. For that reason, but taking into consideration that we would have really liked another Aqua Doodle pen, BBM gives the Aqua Doodle and the KidKleen Bath Blizzard. . .
And the Winner is. . .
I lost all track of time and forgot to do the drawing on Monday. However, this morning, Lil C picked the winning folded up post-it note from all the entries and the winner of the Sesame Street K’Nex set is:
Nurse Betty Boop!
Congratulations! Please email me with your address asap!
Thanks to everyone for entering and keep checking back. There will be more contests coming!
Ask a Ninja Presents “The Ninja Handbook”
If you like the "Ask a Ninja" series online, then you don’t want to miss "The Ninja Handbook" by Douglas Sarine and Kent Nichols. This book has you laughing before it even gets started with a ninja will, just in case of the worst possible scenario. I don’t want to give it away but it’s a fill-in-the-blanks form that is just plain hysterical.
If you take this ninja business seriously, then you’ll appreciate the chapters telling one how to form a proper ninja clan and how to name that clan so as to be respected ninja folk. If you take the "Ask a Ninja" guy and squeeze his videos on to paper, you pretty much have the book.
Like the videos, "The Ninja Handbook" is full of sarcasm and dark humor that will have you laughing throughout. You better hurry up and read it fast though because like the videos, this book "looks forward to killing you soon" as well.
It takes a lot for a book to make me laugh out loud and that’s exactly what "The Ninja Handbook" does. If you are a fan of the internet ninja legend, then you don’t want to miss this book. There are humor infused chapters throughout.
One of the chapters on getting "ninjaish" details how to make your "mark" lose their way on a mission. "The Ninja Handbook" states:
. . .if your mark is stupid enough to be using a GPS system. Simply hack into the navigational program they are using and rewrite the algorithm from "shortest possible route" to "most round-about-and-ass-backward route possible. (75)
The book also provides some helpful insight to beginner ninja’s. Some of the suggestions are:
Replace all variations of hello in your vocabulary with head punches (43)
Get raving compliments about your great ideas and imput for at least 30 meetings or classes that you did not attend. Being a ninja is not about being there; it’s about having the impact of your presence felt whether you are there or not. (43)
Pick a fight with an inaminate object at least four times your body mass. (43)
This book is loaded with hysterical ninja training methods and with illustrations that are just as hysterical and useful. If you’re interested in picking up a copy for yourself (and trust me you’ll want to) go here. If you need more convincing and want to check out the ninja himself, go here and check out some of the videos.
For its laugh-out-loud humor and practical yet comical advice on becoming a "ninja," BBM gives the book. . .
Sesame Street K’Nex
There is nothing like building your very own Sesame Street character. Nothing. While Big I gave up Sesame Street years ago, Lil C has continued to enjoy Elmo as well as Ernie and Bert. Now she has little miniature versions of them to play with.
K’Nex has created a whole new line of Sesame Street toys where children can create and recreate Sesame Street characters. Plus, children can create their very own by mixing Bert and Ernie up to create a brand new character. In addition to the pieces for creating the characters, there are additional pieces and instructions on how to create bugs, butterflies and other Wali-like characters.
Once Ernie and Bert are put together, there’s not a little one on the planet that is going to want to take them apart to put them away. Case in point: Ernie and Bert have been sitting at the foot of Lil C’s bed for weeks now.
Each set comes complete with detailed and easy to follow instructions for completing your character assembly. The pieces are large enough for little hands to maneuver and the pieces fit together without much pressure needed. The toy is really perfect for the suggested age group of 2-5 year olds and retails for $21.99 (Sets will vary in price. See website for details).
If you have a K’Nex fan in the house and especially if you have Sesame Street fans, you won’t want to miss this new line of very fun toys. The only potentially negative about these sets is that I wish they had just a couple more pieces so you didn’t have to disassemble one of the characters in order to make new creations. However, you can always buy another set to add to the variety.
If you’re a reader of this blog, you don’t have to worry about buying a set on your own, because in cooperation with K’Nex and Childs Play PR, we are offering a Sesame Street K’Nex playset to one lucky comment-leaving reader. All you have to do is leave a comment in the section below. Drawings will take place in one week and the winner’s name will be passed directly along to the company for direct shipment.
If you’re not the lucky winner, you can buy a set here in The BBM Review store!
For being a fun toy all around, BBM gives K’Nex Sesame Street sets:
The Responsibility Project
Responsibility, it’s a word that parents and teachers use constantly. If you’re a parent and a teacher, it’s an absolute staple in your vocabulary. If you’re looking for help on teaching about responsibility with your children, look no further.
Liberty Mutual has started a website called "The Responsibility Project" and it’s a useful resource for any parent. The website features a blog about all things responsibility related. If it has to do with taking ownership or is something that has come up in the off the beaten path news, you can find it here.
It also features several short films that range from animated shorts to more serious films that address the issues of responsibility and moral decisions. The "Lighthouse" film is short and sweet and brings up the issue of responsibilities as a member of society. It’s a refreshing and wonderful site, loaded with resources to inspire you and to inspire others.
You can also evaluate your own thoughts about responsibility as related to friends, managers, co-workers, and even chefs at the restaurants in your life. In the "What’s Your Policy?" area of the site, one can create policies for dealing with just about anyone.
The site gives one a lot to think about and is a good place to stop on a lunch break or if you’re cruising around the internet and tired of all your usual haunts.
Someone has finally taken responsibility for teaching responsibility and I couldn’t be happier about it. BBM gives "The Responsibility Project". . .
Getting Rave Reviews
BlogHer Review
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