My son is 6 and he has recently gotten very into video games. His favorites are, without a doubt, his Lego games. Lego Indiani Jones and Lego Harry Potter games keep that boy massively entertained. This week, his eyes were wide and he was overflowing with joy as he sat down to play the newest game from Lego, a computer game called Lego Universe.



Lego Universe is the first Lego game that is a MMOG, a Massively Multiplayer Online Game. More than a game, this is an online world where kids can create personas and play with other kids all over the world while they build friendships and help each other through the game.

As a parent, I have to make special mention of a few things dealing with this game. I have been very wary to start letting my son play in a multiplayer type setting with any games, especially online. While setting up this game, I was blown away by Lego's attention to child safety online. During registration, a parent email is required and then parent activation and validation follow. These types of parental controls are phenomenal and make me feel much better from the get go. Lego definitely takes online safety very seriously and I love that. I shouldn't be surprised. Lego has always been all about kids so, it makes sense that they would have their best interest at the highest priority level.

On to the game. The beginning sequences of the game, just the opening credits for logos and such are already amazing. Really, I can't remember ever being so entertained while watching the opening publishing credits. Think of the Pixar openings and multiply it by entertainment factor 100. The player is then able to fully customize their Minifigure, which is super fun. You can choose the way your Lego figure looks and choose their name. Once the game starts, you are transported into the world of Lego Universe. The opening story sequence is amazing. The plot of the game is so much fun as it incorporates things that kids just love. Saving the world from an evil threat is a perfect plot but, adding to this, Lego takes it a step further in that the player must Save Imagination. I love this theme. As I look around the world today and see all the toys, shows and video games that really do tend to threaten a child's imaginative abilities, I love that Lego is giving a nod to how important imagination is. Lego has been helping cultivate imaginations in children for so long, it's only fitting that this would be their game theme here.



I'm no gamer but, I see my son play them often. I will say that these graphics seem phenomenal. It was like watching a movie in HD, very cartoon-like. The controls are simple to figure out and everything is very well laid out. Not only do I know that my son is going to really like playing with other people once he really gets the hang of it but, I also think this will help with his reading and spelling as he figures out that he can talk with the other players through the easy chat box.



All in all, I am 100% a fan of this new Lego game. I've loved all the other Lego video games that my son has played and this one just adds more to the collection. The Lego games have fantastic storylines, are easy enough for beginners but, still fun for more experienced players and are not in the slightest bit annoying for parents listening to the game playing. (Trust me, that is important!) I'm quite certain that Lego games will be a staple in our house for years to come. I highly recommend Lego Universe and put it at the top of my must-have list for holiday shopping and Holiday Gift Guide.



Buy it!
Lego Universe is now available in stores. You can get more info HERE.

Win it!
One reader will win their own copy of Lego Universe!

US only
ends 12/9

Mandatory to Enter: Tell me who you'd love to give this to this holiday season!

Extra Entries: Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

- Like Lego Universe on Facebook
2 entries- Comment on the Lego Universe Facebook wall that you want to win the copy being given away at Lolidots and leave a link to this post.
- Follow Lego Universe on Twitter

If you do any Tweeting about this giveaway, please include the hashtag #legouniverse

All other extra entries are on the upper left sidebar. You may do any or all of them.

If you're looking for amazing gifts for kids, one of the things that I most highly recommend are the DVDs from Scholastic. Every time I give my kids or someone else's kids one of these DVDs as a gift, it is a huge hit. Scholastic books have been dearly loved for years and the DVDs from Scholastic are just as amazing as the classic storybooks.

There are so many DVDs to choose from in the Scholastic Storybook Treasury. One of the amazing sets is CLICK, CLACK, MOO: COWS THAT TYPE…AND MORE AMUSING ANIMAL TALES. This 3-DVD set contains the hilarious Giggle, Giggle, Quack and Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, in addition to stories like Norman the Doorman and The Mysterious Tadpole. You'll also find stories like Diary of a Spider, Chicken Little, Hot Hippo and Dooby Dooby Moo. If you have a child on your holiday shopping list that loves animals, this is definitely the set for you! My kids just love the stories included in this set. They've watched them so many times and still absolutely crack up at the hilarious stories.



I just love the celebrity narration on all of the Scholastic Storybook DVDs. The Click, Clack, Moo set contains the voices of Randy Travis, Helen Hunt, Hank Azaria, Tim Curry, Sean Hays, Abigail Breslin and many others. It's fun for me to watch the amazing stories with my kids and hear the voices of some of my favorite actors and actresses. I also love the read-along format of the Scholastic DVDs. Every disc is also loaded with bonus features like behind the scenes interviews with authors and illustrators, Spanish translation of some tales and more. My kids already love so many of these stories as the books we've read for so long. Now, thanks to Scholastic, they can enjoy the stories in a new format. Like most kids, mine love to watch movies and cartoons. I take great comfort knowing that when they are watching a DVD from Scholastic, they are getting reinforcement in their reading skills and hearing a wonderful and entertaining story.

Another perfect gift idea from Scholastic is their THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS…AND MORE ANIMAL ADVENTURES!  This is a story that has been one of my kids' faves for a while. In it, Alexander T. Wolf claims that the original telling of the story was just a big misunderstanding. Kids get to hear his side of the story in this silly tale. There are also four other incredibly funny stories on the disc, including The Pig's Wedding, Wallace's List, Henry Builds a Cabin and This is the House that Jack Built. The latter is narrated by Mandy Patinkin and is one of my favorties. You'll also hear the voices of Zach Braff, Paul Giamatti and others. Definitely entertaining and definitely destined to become another classic DVD from Scholastic.



Need more ideas? How about something for a smaller child? My go-to gift for a first birthday or even a baby shower gift is the Scholastic Sign Language Gift Set. "Studies have shown that when children learn sign language at an early age they have increased language aquisition and educators often recommend sign language to help children develop fine motor skills." We did sign language with my daughter when she was a baby and my nephew does much more than my kids ever did. I can definitely attest to the fact that a baby who can sign is so nice for the baby and the parent. The difference in what my daughter could convey to us with the sign language compared to what my son could convey without the sign language was huge. I always tell new moms to at least try to do a few signs that will help them and their babies and the Scholastic Sign Language Gift Set is such an amazing and entertaining tool in that discovery. The DVDs include stories that parents love to read their babies like Goodnight Moon, A Pocket for Corduroy and Five Little Monkeys but, all the stories are enlivened with vocal and ASL narration. It's amazing to me how quickly a child can pick up on sign language when exposed to it regularly. Parents can feel good about their babies and children watching this DVD set and know that their lives are being enriched both with the amazing stories and the sign language that parents can reinforce in everyday life. The gift set also includes a limited edition sign language poster!



These are just a few of the amazing gift sets you can get from Scholastic this year. There are so many more and I definitely recommend each and every one of them. Like I said, every time I give one of these sets as a gift, it is a huge hit with the child and the parent. The Scholastic Storybook Treasury in it's entirety is included in the 2010 Lolidots Holiday Gift Guide because of it's absolutely amazing ability to make so many so happy and because of the amazing affordability of every DVD and set.

Buy it!
You can get the Click, Clack, Moo set, the 3 Little Pigs DVD and the Sign Language Set HERE!

Win it!
Three winners!
One winner will receive the Click, Clack, Moo set
One winner will receive the 3 Little Pigs DVD
One winner will receive the Sign Language set
*Winners will be picked in that order.

US only
ends 12/9

Mandatory to Enter: Tell me your favorite Scholastic story (either one from these DVDs mentioned here or your own favorite)

Extra Entries: All extra entries are on the upper left sidebar. You may do any or all of them. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

Do you remember the Beanie Baby craze? Those things were everywhere and they were unbelievably popular. Well, get ready because the toys I'm about to show you are cuter and I'm quite certain they are going to steal the hearts of many.



What is that crazy thing?

That's a Jumbie!

When storks get confused and there's too much traffic flying around and delivering all the cute baby animals becomes a little hectic, sometimes accidents happen and mayhem ensues. All those storks crashing into each other has led to the jumbled baby animals. The result is Jumbies! The Jumbies need special homes and I know kids everywhere will love to take them in.





My kids just adore small stuffed animals. They are great for toting along in the car and I can even throw them in my purse. Their Jumbies are, without a doubt, their most favorite stuffed animals. They think the Jumbies are hilarious and super cute and I totally agree. What makes Jumbies even more fun is their website. My kids go crazy over hearing the Jumbies story and watching the cartoons on their website. Be sure to check out the games tab where you'll find several super fun kid games! You can also download a free mini Jumbies comic book!

There are tons of Jumbies to choose from and they are seriously adorable. I absolutely love these funny animals. With names like Zelephant (that's a Zebra/Elephant) and Tyramasaurus (a Ram/Tyrannosaurus of course!), they are definitely going to melt your heart. The thing is, kids love little stuffed animals. They are going to love their size and how huggable they are but, on top of that, these are just really funny toys. I like to scroll through the Jumbies on their website and have my kids see if they can guess what kind of mix the animals are. They have such a fun time and, of course, they want all the animals.

My son's favorite Jumbie is the Dingbat and my daughter's favorite is the Horsefly. I adore them all but, Duckey is seriously cute!

   

Every Jumbie comes with a name, a Date of Jumble instead of a birthday and a motto. Your child can check out the Jumbies website and find out where their Jumbie came to be, what their Jumbie likes and dislikes and more about their personality.

With the cuteness of these little stuffed animals and the fun that can be had on the website, I am entirely certain that Jumbies are going to be the next craze in kids' toys. They make a perfect gift and, this holiday season, will be ideal for stocking stuffers. Plus, they are wonderfully affordable! Collect them all!

Buy it!
You can get Jumbies from the online site or from retailers nationwide. Check their website for a store near you!

Win it!
One reader will win 2 Jumbies!

US only
ends 12/6

Mandatory to Enter: Visit Jumbies and tell me your favorite animal

Extra Entries: Please leave a separate comment for each entry. If you are posting something on twitter or facebook make sure you leave a link to it or have a screenshot ready for confirmation if you win.

2 entries - Follow Jumbies on Twitter
2 entries - Tweet :
Check out @jumbies. They've been compared to the next Beanie Babies! Win some @lolidots! http://lolidots.com/giveaways

2 entries - Like Jumbies on Facebook
4 entries - Post on your Facebook wall:
Check out Jumbies...the next Beanie Babies! http://lolidots.com/giveaways/jumbies

All other extra entries are on the upper left sidebar. You may do any or all of them.



I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Can you believe it's almost Christmas?! I absolutely love this time of year. Hot cocoa, tree trimming, holiday joy and all the magic that surrounds the season. I also really love all the holiday movies. There are so very many of them and I love having so many options for family friendly movie nights. This year, Disney is adding a new movie to the holiday movies that will be sure to be an instant fave for your family.

Hitting stores November 23, 2010, The Search for Santa Paws is the prequel to the 2009 hit holiday movie Santa Buddies. The "Buddies" movies have all been wonderfully popular among kids and parents alike. This holiday season, the joy can continue with the newest installment in this series of movies.

Small Frame

Disney's The Search for Santa Paws is a movie about the true meaning of Christmas and falls nicely in with a long line of Disney classic holiday movies. In this movie, the friendship of Santa Claus and Santa Paws is revealed and the power of giving is celebrated. My kids already love the movie and I'm definitely getting more in the Christmas spirit even before December is even here. For me, finding movies that both my 3 year old and my  6 year old like is priceless. The Search for Santa Paws, like so many other Disney movies is definitely one of those "fun for all" movies. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this movie with my kids. Of course, their howls of laughter helped a lot. The storyline is perfect for the holiday season and the puppies are, undoubtedly, insanely cute. Disney has really done such a good job with bonus features on their films and this movie is certainly no exception. I love the adorable Deck the Halls music video and my daughter repeatedly watches the Sing Along mode. Even though she can't read yet, she's definitely getting those lyrics down! My son's favorite bonus feature is the interactive pop-up book. He likes anything that is interactive and the adorable story is definitely entertaining. The best thing about this movie is that once the movie is over, the fun doesn't have to stop. My kids have spent hours after the actual movie just playing with the bonus features. My 6 year old has recently understood the concept of deleted scenes so he now checks all movies for that and, like me, he's always thrilled when they are included. In all, I can say that this movie has been exceptional for the different ages and genders, as well as for me. Based on our experiences with this and other Buddies movies, I'll definitely recommend all of them and assure that they'll become instant family favorites. 

Whether you already have snuggly and warm family nights planned for the holiday season or you're looking for a reason to do so, The Search for Santa Paws is a fantastic way to get the whole family together and celebrating what the season is all about. Pop it in the DVD player while the whole family decorates the tree or get cozy on Christmas Eve while you enjoy the magic that comes with any Disney movie.

The Search for Santa Paws comes with a ton of amazing bonus features, including:

- and interactive Animated Pop-Up Book
- Sing-Along Mode (which my kids adore)
- Music Video of Deck the Halls performed by Debby Ryan from Disney's Suite Life on Deck)
- Deleted Scenes



Whether you get the movie for your holiday festivities or plan on giving it to that special child as a gift, The Search for Santa Paws is sure to delight this holiday season.

Buy it!
As of November 23rd, you can get The Search for Santa Paws in retail stores nationwide! Click HERE for $10 off!

Click HERE for downloadable Christmas Activity Sheets!

Win it!
One lucky reader will win a BluRay/DVD combo pack of The Search for Santa Paws!

US only
ends 12/7

Mandatory to Enter: Tell me your favorite Disney Christmas movie.

Extra Entries: All extra entries are on the upper left sidebar. You may do any or all of them. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

For me, one of the cutest things is a little kid in pajamas. I absolutely adore my kids in their comfy winter pajamas. My daughter has a new pair of footed pajamas that are just beyond adorable. Her pajamas from Snug as a Bug make her as cute as a little bug. And, she absolutely loves them.



Precious. These pajamas are really well made and super comfortable for her. I definitely recommend these pajamas, especially if you live where it gets really cold. These footed pajamas will definitely keep your little one nice and toasty warm and cozy. They also have non-skid feet, which is really important to me. My kids love to slide down the hallway but, a bump on the head from a child going too fast is never fun. The bottoms of these footed pajamas definitely keep them from sliding around.

Snug as a Bug was started over 15 years ago by a talented woman with serious drive to create bright and fun, quality clothing. Still manufactured locally in Canada, Snug as a Bug has seen continued success since it's beginning and will, no doubt, see much more. Their selection of pajamas is phenomenal.

When you browse the Snug as a Bug site, you'll find tons of cute pajamas for kids but, you'll also find much more than that. Kids aren't the only ones who like cute pajamas and they aren't the only ones who love footed pajamas. Snug as a Bug has footed pajamas for both kids and adults. They also carry two-piece flannel pajamas and bamboo pajamas for both adults and children. Need a great holiday gift for anyone on your list? Check out the Snug as a Bug Christmas pajamas.



This Christmas morning, how fun would it be for the whole family to gather for present opening while wearing matching pajamas? So fun and too cute. Snug as a Bug has matching footed pajamas for the whole family in both Christmas prints and others. They are all incredibly cute and would be so fun for a family Christmas morning picture.



Snug as a Bug has plenty of other fantastic items too. You'll find personalized stockings, santa hats, aprons and more. Be sure to check out their Clearance section too! I'm sure you'll find a wonderful and fun gift for someone special this holiday season. You'll find Snug as a Bug on this year's Lolidots Holiday Gift Guide.

Buy it!
You can get your family some matching pajamas or any of the other great items from the Snug as a Bug online shopping site.

Win it!
One reader will win a set of matching pajamas for their family! The winner will receive 2 adult and 2 child matching pajamas.

US and Canada only
ends 12/2

Mandatory to Enter: Visit Snug as a Bug and tell me which is your favorite matching pajamas

Extra Entries: Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

- Like Snug as a Bug on Facebook
- Follow Snug as a Bug on Twitter

All other extra entries are on the upper left sidebar. You may do any or all of them.

My daughter loves going to the grocery store. She's getting much more aware of what I'm actually doing while we are at the grocery store. She likes to help me pick out produce and loves the whole shopping experience. She also loves every single item we've ever gotten for her from Little Tikes. We have a lot of Little Tikes stuff. It's really just the best there is. Some of the items we have from Little Tikes have been passed down through several kids and are still in perfect condition. When we get a Little Tikes toy, I know it's going to last.

     

Now, my daughter's love of grocery shopping and my love of Little Tikes toys comes together in her brand new Neighborhood Market from Little Tikes.



I love the versatility of the Neighborhood Market. It can go from a fruit stand to an ice cream shop to a bakery. So much fun! The Neighborhood Market comes with 23 accessories that include a cash register, pretend money, fruit, cupcakes, ice cream and a scooper and cones. The awning pulls down and winds up and it's got a chalk board marquee on the top. I also absolutely love that it's on wheels. So easy to move it out of the way when playtime is over.



My daughter is just beside herself with all the things she can do and play with the Neighborhood Market from Little Tikes. I adore that Little Tikes makes toys like this that are not only fun but, a great learning tool. My daughter can learn math on the pretend cash register and she and my son love to play "store".

Knowing that this is a toy that will get so much versatile play and last for a great many years, the retail price of $99.99 is a steal. Need that big "Santa" gift? Use the coupon code moms2010 and get 10% off your first order from the Little Tikes website! Many of their items are on sale and you'll find free shipping on dozens of products! Check out their Black Friday deals in this ad HERE!

Win it!
One very lucky reader will win a Neighborhood Market from Little Tikes!

US only
ends 12/6

Mandatory to Enter: Visit Little Tikes and tell me something you love.

Extra Entries: Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

- Like Little Tikes on Facebook
- Sign up for the Little Tikes newsletter on their site

All other extra entries are on the upper left sidebar. You may do any or all of them.