Due to personal reasons and a growing photography business, Lolidots is not longer blogging, running giveaways or doing product reviews. There are tons of other great giveaway blogs out there though! Thanks to my fans for 2 years of awesome support and a lot of fun!
Now that you've got the binders, lunchboxes and backpacks ready for school, it's time to think about how to decorate them. Hadn't thought of that? Well, the folks over at PakNak have not only thought about it, they've got you totally covered!
What's a PakNak? I'm glad you asked. PakNaks are soft, rubbery, 3-D decorations for all of your kids' belongings. They come in a huge variety of animals and other cute things. PakNaks use a super strong adhesive that sticks to everything a kid could want to personalize. They are equipped with a customized velcro that means there is no pinning through backpacks, no sticking and not being able to change it, no ironing or sewing. You stick the PakNak wherever you'd like and then easily unattach the velcro and switch to another PakNak for another personalized style.
There are so many uses for PakNaks and your kids will use their imagination to realize them all. For Back to School, PakNaks are my favorite special treat items that will have kids excited to show off on the first day. Whether it's on their backpacks, their notebooks, their lunchboxes or their hair accessories, kids of all ages will love the different options when it comes to PakNaks!
The other thing to love about PakNaks is their website. You can download the PakNaks coloring book, browse the gallery for decorating ideas, play the Nak-Land Game and purchase all of the adorable PakNaks for your kids. These make excellent "First Day of School Gifts" and would also be fun for teachers to use as prizes in class.
PakNaks is absolutely one of my Top Picks for Back to School Shopping!
Buy it! You can get all the adorable PakNaks from their online store. Use the coupon code PAK20 at checkout and get 20% off!
Win it! One reader will win three PakNaks of their choice!
US and Canada only ends 8/25
Mandatory to Enter: Visit PakNaks and tell me at least one that you would choose if you won.
Please leave a separate comment for each entry.
Extra Entries:
All Extra Entries are on the upper left sidebar. Remember, you get one extra entry for every current giveaway you enter!
Back to School shopping is upon us. This is the first year we are having to go through all of this. My son will start kindergarten very soon and we're gearing up for all that entails. Along with the school supplies, new clothes and saying goodbye to summer, there's one item that seems to be the most important when it comes to getting a child ready for school. I know it was the most important thing when I was a kid. What is it? The backpack, of course! When it comes to a child's school backpack, it's important for it to be comfortable and roomy but, what's most important is for them to feel like it's the best in the class.
Oompa Toys completely came to our rescue when it came to finding a perfect and unique backpack.
In 2003, a mother frustrated with the lack of unique and beautifully made toys on the market decided to forge ahead and start a company that would offer the best in toys, gear and furniture for babies, toddlers and older children. Since it's official start in 2004, Oompa Toys has continued to bring only the best, most high quality, gorgeous and unique items to parents and kids.
There are so many easily browsed categories at Oompa Toys. From nursery bedding to rattles, bath toys to building blocks, games to kitchen toys, dress up clothes to outdoor toys and everything in between, Oompa has you covered and you'll find the perfect item for your children and for the gifts you give to others.
When I stumbled on the Back to School section at Oompa Toys, I rejoiced. Their backpacks were exactly what I was looking for. I'm sure my son will be entering a room full of superhero and licensed character backpacks. He'll stand out and feel awesome wearing his Rocker School Backpack from Four Peas. This backpack is a chocolate brown with a totally cool guitar print on the front. All of the Four Peas backpacks are PVC free and can grow with a child from kinder to 8th grade. After seeing how well made this backpack is, I have no doubt that it will last my son quite a while. The straps are incredibly comfortable for him and he loves all the pockets. I love how wide the bottom of the bag opens to, allowing all of his supplies to fit easily inside. The best part is seeing how much my son loves this backpack from Oompa and knowing it has a lot to do with his growing excitement for school to start.
There are tons of other backpack choices at Oompa Toys as well as adorable lunchboxes, rolling backpacks and other fantastic and uniqe school supplies. You can absolutely send your child back to school in style with Oompa. And, for the little ones staying behind and weekend fun for the school kids, remember to check out all the amazingn toys Oompa has to offer.
Oompa Toys and their backpack selection is absolutely one of my Top Picks for Back to School Shopping!
Buy it! You can get the Four Peas backpacks and all the other great stuff from the Oompa Toys online store.
Win it! One reader will win the Rocker Backpack! *If this backpack is out of stock, another Four Peas backpack may be chosen*
US and Canada ends 8/25
Mandatory to Enter: Visit Oompa Toys and tell me something else you love
My kids are like so many others, color crazy. They love to draw, color and do art as often as they can. With a young toddler though, I had to limit art time for quite a while to the times when I could be there to completely supervise. Any parent who has ever cleaned drawings off a wall knows what I'm talking about. Luckily, Crayola understands that I don't want to limit art time or have to clean markings off my walls and furniture.
Crayola Color Wonder products are all designed to appear only on the special Color Wonder paper. No purple elephants on walls. No red cats on tables. No pink puppies on chairs. No marker tattoos on arms. No ruined shirts. No mess. All of the wonderful art my kids make remains on the paper and only on the paper. Knowing there will be no mess gives my kids the freedom to do art any time they want and anywhere they want. Being able to let them use markers in the car means quieter trips and tons of great art for the fridge!
Whether you are traveling this summer, gearing up for school or stocking up your home art supplies, Crayola Color Wonder has what we all need. The Crayola Color Wonder Lap Desk is fantastic for on-the-go art. The sturdy desk has a handle and a soft detachable pillow. It holds 5 Color Wonder mini-markers and opens up to hold Color Wonder paper and notebooks.
Do your kids love finger-painting? Mine absolutely adore it but, we don't do it that often because it is just such a mess. The Crayola Color Wonder Fingerpaints make it possible to not only do mess-free fingerpainting in the house but, my kids can also do it in the car! The set comes with 5 mess-free colors in a cute hand-shaped storage container, a built-in finger cleaning sponge and, like most of the other Color Wonder kits, comes with Color Wonder paper. Seriously, fingerpainting with no mess....I'm not sure it gets any better than that!
Crayola Color Wonder line of products also includes the Color Wonder Paints and Coloring Pad that has 4 Color Wonder paint brushes and an 18 page Toy Story or Disney Princess themed coloring pad, the Color Wonder Stow and Go Studio that provides a solid, compact drawing surface with stay-put clips that secure a single piece of paper or an entire activity book and holds several mini-markers, and the Color Wonder Story Stampers that includes 5 markers, a stamp pad, 6 sea creature stamps and an 18-page activity pad.
My kids love Crayola Color Wonder products and so do I. Sure, the mess-free playtime is fantastic but, the giggles and imaginative creations make it truly special. Crayola has always been one of those companies that seems to only care about kids and their growing imaginations and educational entertainment. I've loved Crayola since I was a child and am sure they'll be a big part of our lives for a long time to come. You can get all the Crayola Color Wonder products in retailers nationwide and I highly suggest picking some up immediately. Plus, all these products make amazing gifts!
CLICK HERE to download a $1 off coupon for a Crayola Color Wonder product!
Win it! One incredibly lucky winner will receive a Crayola Color Wonder "Summer Travel Imagination" pack that includes a Color Wonder Lap Desk, Color Wonder Finger Paint & Paper, Color Wonder Toy Story and Disney Princess Coloring Pad & Paintbrushes, Color Wonder Stow & Go Studio and Color Wonder Story Stampers!
US only ends 8/17
*The Crayola Color Wonder products, information and giveaway were all provided to me and the winner by Crayola through MyBlogSpark.*
Mandatory to Enter: Tell me something else Crayola makes that you or your kids love.
As health conscious adults and parents, my husband and I try to make food choices for ourselves and our children that will promote a happy and healthy life. I know that most parents are like us in making the best food choices possible for their children. The day starts with breakfast and it's our first opportunity to instill the love of healthy natural food into our kids and start their days off right.
In 1971, a woman named Barbara decided that she wanted give families what they needed in regards to wholesome, healthy, natural food that tastes great. Since her first tiny storefront over 40 years ago, Barbara's Bakery has grown to include cereals, snack bars, cookies, crackers and cheese puffs. From breakfast to snacktime, Barbara's Bakery has got us all covered with yummy tasting food that is natural and so good for us.
My family recently tried a variety of the cereals offered by Barbara's Bakery. We are all now completely in love with the Puffins line of breakfast cereals. My husband loves how healthy these cereals are. The kids love how they taste and I love how much everyone loves them while knowing how good they are for my kids' growing bodies. All of the Puffins cereals we tried are fantastic and super yummy, especially the beloved Puffins Original but, my absolute favorite is the Puffins Puffs Fruit Medley. Imagine if the sugar laden cereal with a talking bunny was less sugary, more fruit filled, wheat free and had natural prebiotic fiber. The Fruit Medley Puffins Puffs are so scrumptious as a breakfast cereal but, for those like my daughter and myself who like a little dry cereal as an afternoon snack, you will love this cereal.
If you need a gluten-free snack, low-fat food, wheat-free, vegetarian, cholesterol free choice for snack or breakfast, look no further than Barbara's Bakery food choices.
Buy it! If you don't have a store near you that carries Barbara's Bakery products, first you need to write them and let them know what they are missing out on, then head over to the Barbara's Bakery website and purchase all your yummy goodies from the site!
Barbara's Bakery Contest! Take the all-natural food makeover challenge! Submit a video to Barbara's Bakery sharing your worst food habits, your questions about eating natural foods or what you've done to try and change your family's habits. Deadline is November 30, 2010. One winner will be chosen to receive a private consultation with a celebrity nutritionist and a trip to the Napa Valley where Barbara's began!
Lolidots Giveaway! Barbara's Bakery wants to give you a cuddly reminder of their Puffins line of cereals! One reader will win a cute little Puffin Beanie Animal!
US only ends 8/15
Mandatory to Enter: Visit Barbara's Bakery and tell me which food item you're most excited to try or which you already love.
Extra Entries:
2 entries- Enter the Anni Zola Giveaway 2 entries- Enter the Jungle Gym Giveaway 1 entry for each other giveaway entered Links on upper left sidebar
All other extra entries are on the upper left sidebar. You may do any or all of them.
We love music around here. What's more, we love family music. I'm always looking for more music that I can turn on for the kids and not want to put in ear plugs while they listen to it.
The newest cd from family music star Justin Roberts, Jungle Gym, is another cd in our collection that the kids love and I enjoy listening to as well.
The 12 original songs on the Jungle Gym disc explore some of the iconic moments that we all remember from childhood. Those quintessential times in childhood that make parents "remember when" and spark imagination and laughter in children are all displayed on this disc with fun lyrics and pop rock tunes. Every child and parent alike will love this cd and find instant favorite songs. Songs like "Obsessed By Trucks" will find you nodding your head and tapping your feet while the kids get silly dancing around. I'm such a fan of silly kids' songs with rock beats that parents can enjoy. Justin Roberts totally nails what kids and parents want in music. Reminiscent of bands I love and the sound my kids and I both enjoy, the Jungle Gym cd is definitely one of our faves.
The New York Times dubbed Justin Roberts "the Judy Blume of kiddie rock". I love that and totally agree. His last album, Pop Fly was named one of the "10 Best Children's CDs of 2008" by NPR, USA Today and Amazon.com. I have no doubt that Jungle Gym will also receive such accolades.
Justin Roberts and his band, Not Ready for Naptime Players, perform more than 120 concerts per year. You can find out where they're playing near you at JustinRobertsMusic.com and keep up with them through the Justin Roberts Facebook fan page.
Win it! One reader will win a copy of the fantastic Jungle Gym CD to rock out with their own kids!
US only ends 8/16
Mandatory to Enter: Visit the Justin Roberts website and tell me which of their videos you like best or which CD track is your fave.
Please leave a separate comment for each entry.
Extra Entries:
- "Like" Justin Roberts on Facebook 2 entries - Write on the facebook wall that you found out about Jungle Gym on Lolidots and leave a link to this post. - Follow Justin Roberts on Twitter - Subscribe to the Justin Roberts YouTube channel 2 entries- Enter my Anni Zola CD giveaway 2 entries - Enter my Puffins giveaway (links on the upper left sidebar) 1 extra entry for every current giveaway you enter
All other extra entries are listed on the upper left sidebar. You may do any or all of them.
Have you noticed the shift in "tween" music these days? It seems that the only difference between tween music and adult music is the possibility of fewer curse words and maybe a cheesier beat. The music world for tweens and teens is still littered with inappropriate innuendos and wrong messages.
In early 2009, co-creators Zuriani Zonneveld and Bonni Rambatan created a new singing sensation for tweens and teens to admire and listen to named Anni Zola. On June 29 of this year, Anni Zola - My Story was released. This enhanced cd incorporates four songs interwoven with three short stories in audiobook format and also includes bonus videos and jpg images.
Anni Zola means "beautiful earth". She is a teenager who blogs and tweets from a fictional planet and shares inspirations about being anything you want to be, dreams about an ideal world and cares about keeping the planet safe. Tweens and teens will be drawn to the character and story for it's social relevance and pop culture influences. The music is catchy and pop influenced while maintaining clean lyrics and a positive message that kids need to hear. While she may be fictional, Anni Zola is a far better role model than so many of today's young pop stars.
I think Anni Zola - My Story is a much needed CD in today's world of kids who grow up too quickly and are inundated with adult things far too early in life. There is an abundance of young child music and an overabundance of adult music but, tweens and teens are overrun with music that claims to be for them yet, often contains lyrics and innuendos that can definitely have a negative effect on their quickly growing minds, attitudes and self-esteems. The positive messages behind the Anni Zola CD are something that any parent can be happy about and the relatable way they are present is something that so many tweens will love.
I recommend the Anni Zola - My Story CD for any tween. The disc is targeted at boys and girls from 8-15 years of age. The anime art will grab them as quickly as the pop music and social relevances. I fully support the message and spirit behind this project and hope there will soon be more like this out there for young tweens.
Buy it! You can purchase Anni Zola - My Story from Amazon.com and retailers nationwide.
Win it! One reader will win their own copy of Anni Zola!
US only ends 8/15
Mandatory to Enter: Tell me who you'd love to give the cd to.
Please leave a separate comment for every entry.
Extra Entries:
2 entries - Enter my Puffins giveaway 2 entries - Enter my Jungle Gym CD giveaway 1 entry for each other current giveaway you enter
All other extra entries are on the left upper sidebar. You may do any or all of them.
