Step2 Sand & Water Transportation Station

Cheap Step2 Sand & Water Transportation Station On Sale

We purchased this sand and water table for our son's second birthday. It was huge hit with all four of our children...ages 6 months to 9 years old. The 6 month old loves to watch the older boys drive the "cars" around the tracks and pour sand and water through the funnels at the top of the table. Keep in mind that any "sand and water" table is actually a "mud table" and there will be mess involved, but it's to be expected! We purchased a washing machine tub that is about 2-3" high to put down on our screen porch floor and this table fits inside of it perfectly. The boys can stand around the table easily and any extra sand and/or water falls into the tub where we can easily dump it out when they are done. It's saved our floor and made this fun toy a bit less messy! Haven't had any trouble with the table leaking and have found it very easy to drain into a bucket underneath when we need to clean it. Also, the cover is wonderful for when it's time to put things away!

Master Lock 8200D Street Cuffs Lock, 12-Inch

Cheap Master Lock 8200D Street Cuffs Lock, 12-Inch On Sale

i have owned a pair of the "street cuff" bike lock for many years with few problems. the main concern is that the barrel key is a 8 sided key which is a more complicated key system than the traditional 6 barrel ( six cuts on the key ) style. the key shows wear and tear to the point of complete metal failure. i have had to have the keys replaced 2 times in 5 years because of the wear and tear. being that this is an 8 sided barrel key the local key shop is unable to make a copy. i had to have master lock order the keys from me from beijing(!)

maintenance on the lock includes occasional use of a metal lubricant to keep dust and other particulates out of the mechanism which can cause the lock to be difficult to operate.

the new pair of "street cuffs" i ordered from amazon had a couple of cracks in the plastic casing, this being only a cosmetic problem i was willing to live with the slight imperfection. when i notified amazon of the not so perfect condition of the purchase i was given a . refund. i was very happy with the win-win resolution to this small complaint.

Pack of 24 MY BACKPACK Stretchy Shapes: TIE-DYE COLORED Rubber Bands

Cheap Pack of 24 MY BACKPACK Stretchy Shapes: TIE-DYE COLORED Rubber Bands On Sale

Disney Sparkling Princess Ariel Doll

Cheap Disney Sparkling Princess Ariel Doll On Sale

And pink is my favorite color. So I HAD to have this doll.
The dress is nice and sparkly, pretty shade of pink, and my sweetheart looks gorgeous as always. Any fan of Ariel will be delighted with this doll.

LeapFrog Leapster Learning Game System - Pink

Cheap LeapFrog Leapster Learning Game System - Pink On Sale

I got mine for .00 and its a great buy, I wanted to get my kids one but they are 4 - 5 yrs old and I didn't know if they would like it. Man was I wrong. They love it. They even share with it and spend time playing with it and being quite. (this is a rare thing in our house) I got them some games for xmas but they love the free ones on it. Great buy and now I see why all my friends kid's love it. I may be buying another one after the holidays on amazon for one of their birthdays as they do love it. I also got my games one at target for 15.99 (on a reg non special sale day) and another online from the leapfrog site for 10.00. I might be getting one on amazon too later today. The cases how ever don't fit the item as I tried one in target but I have another one for their vtech vsmile hand held which amazing can hold both. Were going to be taking these on our 9 hr flight to NY this xmas. Great buy! I think its durable personally as its held up to my brute child quite well. FYI don't use rechargeable battery's or the pack you can buy as that is only for leapster2 but get the power cord which we got at target for 9.99. We also have one for our vsmile hand held and vsmile system.

I had an issues with the stylist so I used the leapfrog site to find out how to fix it today.

[...]

Which tell's you
Question: My Leapster is not responding correctly to the stylus pen.
Answer: If your Leapster does not respond to the stylus pen, it needs to be calibrated.
The following are instructions for calibrating the Leapster(tm) handheld.
(1) Insert a cartridge, turn the unit on and wait for the sign-in screen to appear.
(2) Hold down the Home, Hint and B buttons simultaneously.
(3) When the screen changes, press the A button.
(4) Using the Stylus, touch the center of the targets.

If you have any issues go to their site [...]
and look up your issue and select your product.

LeapFrog Leapster Learning Game: Disney The Princess and the Frog

Cheap LeapFrog Leapster Learning Game: Disney The Princess and the Frog On Sale

We got this game for my 6 year old daughter. It is now the favorite game for all of us, my 6 year old, 5 year old, and 2.5 year old included. There is a fun cooking game where you chop and add ingredients into the gumbo soup. It is fun to use the pen, and the girls have such a great time with it. I would highly recommend this to anyone.

Bicycle Eco Edition Playing Cards

Cheap Bicycle Eco Edition Playing Cards On Sale

I've bought a lot of decks over the years, and this is the best yet! These cards feel great, are easy to read (once you get over the odd feeling of not having red but green instead, isn't that clever), and are holding up nicely to middle-school boys enthusiastically playing Crazy 8 every day for the past 4 months since getting them as a gift. Alot of satisfaction for the price. Wipe off.

Twilight New Moon Bella's replica Jewelry in gift box Set of 3

Cheap Twilight New Moon Bella's replica Jewelry in gift box Set of 3 On Sale

I was a little concerned from reading the previous review when ordering this set, but it was exactly as described. I received all 3 pieces, in the official New Moon box, just as pictured. Quality is as expected for replica costume jewelry. Overall, I was very pleased I made the purchase.

Disney Princess The Princess and the Frog Princess Charlotte La Bouff Doll

Cheap Disney Princess The Princess and the Frog Princess Charlotte La Bouff Doll On Sale

Charlotte arrives wearing her swinging pink sparkle dress from the end scene of The Princess and The Frog (Three Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo with Digital Copy) and comes in a box suitable for collecting.

In the last several years, I have noticed a decline in the quality of Barbie-type Disney dolls. However, this doll is of wonderful quality and looks just like Charlotte does in the movie.

While I think she in an exceptional doll, I recommend shopping around for the best price, and to not pay more than for her.

PUGG 4 Footer Portable Training Goal Set (Two Goals & Bag)

Cheap PUGG 4 Footer Portable Training Goal Set (Two Goals & Bag) On Sale

I bought a set for my daughter and her family recently. We have had our own for 2 years. They are great!! I would not buy the smallest size unless you want to use it to play with your kids in a small apartment. The mid size is perfect for backyard practice or with a few kids at a playground. Larger kids MAY want the largest size. Using this product helped our 6 yo daughter immediately improve. She used to play in an "unfocused way" at practice or in games. But by just spending a few days teaching her how to dribble back and forth between both nets, and learning how to dribble AROUND a defender while MAINTAINING control of the ball, keeping it close to your feet, she finally "got it." The next game she didn't just kick the ball once and then watch as most young kids do. She dribbled all the way down the short field and scored (actually 4 times that game)! Since then we have never had to remind her about dribbling and ball control and staying with the ball. They fold up easy, are very durable, and the storage case allows it to hang well on a garage hook. On each side at the lower "goal posts", there are connecting plastic short stakes, so you can push them into soft grass to hold the net from getting kicked over by "errant swipes"!

LeapFrog Tag Activity Storybook I SPY Imagine That!

Cheap LeapFrog Tag Activity Storybook I SPY Imagine That! On Sale

I spent a number of hours -- yes hours -- with my 5 year-old son finding things hidden in the pictures throughout these pages, and had some good laughs doing so. I generally like the Tag reading system, and this book is one of my favorites. I truly enjoy spending this kind of quality time with my children, and with something that is educational as well as fun.

Deluxe Ride and Relax Wagon with Umbrella

Cheap Deluxe Ride and Relax Wagon with Umbrella On Sale

I just bought this wagon for my 4 yr old daughter and my two year old son! as soon as i put it together they wanted a ride around the block. They didnt not want to get off. Really smooth ride and very durable. its perfect for the beach and the amusment parks. The directions are simple , you just need to be patience and read over the directions carefully! it took me about an hour to assemble! LOVE IT!

Apple To Apples Kids 7 Plus - The Game of Crazy Comparisons

Cheap Apple To Apples Kids 7 Plus - The Game of Crazy Comparisons On Sale

We just got this game for our almost 6 year old daughter. I've heard about this game for a while and so happy this version came out. I was afraid she was still a bit young but she read the cards and understood the concept without a problem. I had much more fun than I thought!

We also have a four year old. He can't read but he could still judge. My husband held two green cards, had the little guy pick one and had him judge as well.

It was a little hard on our daughter when her card was not judged the winner so make sure your young ones can "take the heat". I think this is the reason why it's for 7+, maturity.

I want to play this game with our friends and their kids at our next get together! I can understand why this was such a huge hit for large parties. This game will be around for years to come. Simple concept, I guess the KISS method works.

Find It Games At the Beach

Cheap Find It Games At the Beach On Sale

When I bought this game I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought, "how hard could it be". Found out right away that it's pretty challenging and a lot of fun! I bought one for myself and the others I am giving as Christmas gifts to friends and family. Find It Games At the Beach

Toysmith Turbo Bubble Machine

Cheap Toysmith Turbo Bubble Machine On Sale

I purchased this as a fun activity for grandma and 15 month old grandson. As a speech/language pathologist I always look for toys that have speech/language development potential as well as the fun element. This bubble machine served both my purposes. Worked well, lots of fun. My only negative is that a 15 month old is quick to grab and upset anything in his reach, and he did that with this toy. All the "bubble stuff" spilled out and the machine had to be refilled. Solution: keep out of the reach of little ones.

Halex Select 6 Player Croquet Set in Deluxe Carry Case

Cheap Halex Select 6 Player Croquet Set in Deluxe Carry Case On Sale

I was able to get this set at a local retailer for only , needless to say it was a no brainier compared to the much more expensive sets. The proportions are perfect for children under 9 years old. This is not an adult set, but you can make it work even if you're really tall (just bend a bit more!). The set includes every thing you will need and the one sheet instructions shows a diagram of a proper court. The nylon bad holds everything, including the assembled sticks.

The problem with most of these assemble / dissemble Croquet sets is the handles always fall off in due time. So, I used very good quality wood glue (get the indoor / outdoor glue - not just indoor) and put it on both sides of the groves in the mallet head, then hand twist tight and let it dry.

You will be creating essentially 6 permanent sticks. The directions are fairly complex, but Halex Corporation is part of Regent Sports (think Spalding too). So, you can get decent customer support on most of the items they sell, plus they print all the rules of the major outdoor games on their site (Bocce, Croquet, Badminton, etc.) :

http://www.regent-halex.com/instructionarchive.html

Enchanted Forest

Cheap Enchanted Forest On Sale

This is definitely a game that my daughter will grow in to. She's just a little more than 4, so we have modified this game to be more cooperative and yield faster rewards, and it is our absolute favorite.

For parents of 4-5's who might be interested, we have made the following modifications:
* We play 2 at a time and it's mainly cooperative with some competition thrown in (mostly hooting, hollering, racing) with a much faster tempo (game done in 20 mins).
* Our rules are a blend of Junior Labyrinth, Memory, Sorry, and I Spy (other games that she loves and plays well on her own without help).
* Child wants to win but needs help with strategy at times.

The modifications:
1. We move as instructed with the dice. Doubles get you to a tree or straight to the key (to cut down on some of the hassle of landing on the key, which can drag on and on).
2. When you land on a tree, you show everyone the treasure that you found (like Memory). Both of us work together to pattern the trees into our memory, and we work as a team to get to and identify the different tree-treasures.
3. Then we basically are racing to the key via doubles or dice rolls to try to claim whatever treasure card is showing and helping each other either remember or try to figure out which of the "unseen" treasures it might be.
4. Whoever gets to the key gets to try to remember where the treasure card was (we help each other).
5. If you win the card, you take both the card and the tree for your "treasure area" (again, like Memory or I Spy) and go back to the village to "start again." Of course, if you roll a double on your next turn, you can choose to go to either a tree or right back to the key to claim your next treasure.
6. The person with the with the most treasures at the end wins (like Memory or I Spy). She usually beats me by 2 cards, and has a wonderful time doing it.

We did play a "real" game tonight and the first card really stumped everyone, so folks had seen all the trees, then forgotten them, because we forgot that a double could change the treasure card. 40 minutes in, only I had 2 cards, Dad had been sent back to the village, daughter was dancing around the room. Went back to modified play and she had a great time playing 2 more rounds.

There are a number of things that I love about this game:
1. As described above, this game has loads of potential so it can be modified to be faster/more cooperative/easier for kids all the way down to 4 years of age.
2. It's Ravensburger, which means that you are getting really excellent quality game, with nice pieces, a beautiful playing board, strategy, etc. I can see this game lasting a really long time.
3. She is going to grow into it over time--as opposed to growing out of it over time. Many "kid" games are for such a narrow age range, say 5-7 years, and I find that the 4 & 5 year olds memorize the plays really quickly and a lot of the games can become boring or just too easy. (I Spy, while loads of fun, is enjoying a retirement for this reason, until everyone "forgets" the memorized game cards; Operation is just too one-dimensional.

Super game, thrilled.