Lipstick to Crayons » Holiday Toy Reviews

Nintendo DSi Game Giveaway

lipsticktocrayons — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:55:50 +0000

We had a little girl in our neighborhood several years ago who loved to sketch pictures of clothes. She was always pretending to be a fashion designer and some of her sketches were pretty amazing for an 8-year-old. I bet she would love the Nintendo DSi game “Imagine: Fashion Designer World Tour.”

This game, by Ubisoft, lets players design the next big thing in fashion and travel the world to build the design into a worldwide fashion label. Players can launch their international brand, open boutiques around the world, and design the hottest, most wanted fashion in the world. The game lets you:

Travel the World – Promote your fashion brand all over the world as you set up runway shows, photo shoots and celebrity endorsements.
Open boutiques in iconic fashion cities, and promote your brand by taking part in local fashion events.
Dress the hottest celebs in your designs and be seen on the red carpet.
Design Your Brand – Create a fashion collection under your own label.
Choose your brand name and customize your own logo from a variety of fonts, backgrounds, and colors.
Design amazing collections of different themes.
Go shopping to accessorize your designs, from shoes and jewelry to hats and purses.
Become a fashion expert – Become a world-famous fashion trends expert as you travel the world looking for the hottest fashions.
Dress models all over the world!

Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified line-up of products and partnerships. And the company certainly gives back to the community, having recently announced the recipients of four $25,000 college scholarships. The Ubisoft ”Imagine Your Future” sweepstakes, a month-long online sweepstakes that awarded more than $100,000 in prizes, including four $25,000 college scholarships to aspiring students, included winners ranging from an unborn child to a 16-year-old high school student.

The sweepstakes was created to commemorate October as “Imagine Month,” during which four brand new video games from Ubisoft’s wildly popular Imagine series became available at retail.

You can buy Imagine: Fashion Designer World Tour here but one lucky Lipstick to Crayons reader can win the game for free by entering the contest below.

Giveaway Guidelines:

Tell me in a comment below why you want to win the game.

Receive additional entries by doing any/all of the following, but be sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

Blog about this contest
Subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed
Tweet this giveaway on Twitter (you can tweet daily if you want, but make sure you leave a comment each time you do).
Favorite Lipstick to Crayons on Technorati
Stumble this post
Add Lipstick to Crayons to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar
Become a fan of Lipstick to Crayons on Facebook

This giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. Central time Jan. 11, 2010. Be sure to include a valid email address with each of your entries. Contest open to United States residents only. Winner will be randomly chosen via random.org and will be notified via email and announced on this post.

If winner does not claim prize by Jan. 13, 2009, he/she will forfeit the prize to an alternate winner.

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS TO MICHELE P., COMMENT #131.

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Nintendo DS Petz Nursery Game

lipsticktocrayons — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:40:08 +0000

The Nintendo DS game “Petz Nursery” is a “sure to please” gift idea for any Nintendo DS gamer who loves animals. Still, I’d say that because of the “nurturing” aspect of this game — which involves caring for and bonding with a variety of adorable newborn animals from dogs and cats to polar bears and tigers – it is likely to be a DS game loved more by the “softer sex.”

Players of Petz Nursery get to work through giving their petz milk, keeping them clean and helping them grow while also building relationships with the animals and influencing their personality. Progressing in the game involves unlocking more exotic baby animals.

The game certainly demonstrates to kids that caring for an animal involves playtime and responsibility time.

The game works with other DS games such as Petz Dog Talent Show, and it is rated E for everyone. It might be a little tricky for a younger play to learn to use at first, but with some help from Mom or Dad, the game promises to please even the youngest DS players in the family.

Petz Nursery and other new Petz® games, including Petz Hamsterz Superstarz, launched as part of Petz Sharing and Caring Month with the ASPCA and famous pop band Honor Society. Kids and their parents can go to the Petz Cause House on ubiworld.com to play a variety of Petz mini-games and earn “pointz” to show their support for the ASPCA in protecting animals. And, to further support teaching kids about responsible pet care, Ubisoft’s Petz will donate funds directly to the ASPCA.

You can buy Petz Nursery here for $27.99.

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New Pulse Slither Scooter a Great Gift for Wheel-loving Kids

lipsticktocrayons — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:56:31 +0000

I always kinda thought that all scooters were created equally (one wheel in front, one in back, or one in front, two in back, push with your foot, glide, push, glide, etc). Not so, according to my son. And not so, according to Bravo Sports, one of the world leaders in outdoor rolling fun and action sports products.

Bravo Sports recently introducted their latest creation — the one-of-a-kind Pulse Slither drift scooter — and my 11-year-old son says it’s in a class by itself in coolness.

At first, I thought my husband and son had put this scooter together improperly, because it has TWO wheels in front and one in back. Again, I was mistaken. This innovative three-wheeled scooter with two large front wheels offset by a single pivot-mounted swivel rear wheel offers the ability to pull off tricks and maneuvers that are simply not possible on any other scooter or wheeled good.

The Pulse Slither translates the fun of riding a snowboard, skiing or surfing into a street toy. It can be ridden facing forward or standing to one side and is propelled by “slithering” from side to side or by pushing with your foot, opening up even more trick possibilities and making it that much harder to put away. The tension on the rudder-like rear wheel is adjustable, which is key to helping smaller riders (such as my son) the ability to maneuver the scooter. It also gives the rider the freedom to drift in and out of turns, zip around corners, execute lightning-quick 180º turns and adjusts to their skill level.

Emblazoned with vibrant in-molded graphics, that won’t chip or peel, the Pulse Slither is available in two dynamic color ways: Electric Blue “Skull Wing” and Toxic Green “Von Scroll.”

Upsides:

Easy to assemble (according to husband)
Fun to ride (according to son)
Cool-looking (according to son)

Downside:

The “slithering” motion takes some practice! (according to son)

You can buy a Pulse Slither for $59.99 here.

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BEST, BEST Toddler Toy This Year

lipsticktocrayons — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:38:08 +0000

If I were “king of the world” and got to give an away for top toy for toddlers this year, it would be the Tag Junior from LeapFrog, hands down.

Leapfrog has long been a leader in creating educational but FUN toys, and now they’ve gone and created one that even a two-year-old can enjoy. The Tag system makes it fun for toddlers to connect words with pictures and other thoughts. By pressing the Tag Junior Book Pal onto the pages of specially designed books, the words and pictures come to life.

The Tag Jr. is easy for a toddler to use because all she has to do is touch the book pal (which fits perfectly in a toddlers chubby little hand) anywhere on the page and she will be rewarded with a response. Each Tag Jr. book has a theme and focuses on a skill.

The Tag Jr. system is geared toward young preschoolers ages 2-4. Leapfrog
also lets you create an account at LeapFrog’s Learning Path site where you can track your child’s learning progress online and download and print free activities to compliment your child’s Tag Jr. books.

LeapFrog toys are always fun-forward and engaging with educational benefits and skill-building fundamentals that last well beyond the holiday season. In other words, they’re invaluable.

Upsides:

Easy for a toddler to use
Great learning tool
Encourages reading
Portable – great toy for road trips and hotel stays
Reasonably priced

Downside:

The process of downloading the audio from the Leapfrog site to your Tag Jr. Book Pal was a little tricky for me, but there is lots of online support on the site.

You can buy the Tag Junior here for $24.99 and it comes with a book. You can buy extra books here and here.

Also from Leapfrog is the Text & Learn. Tech-savvy preschoolers on your shopping list can imitate Mom and Dad (Big Sister in our house) with this durable, just-for-kids learning PDA. Games focus on letter recognition, shape matching, and QWERTY keyboard skills, allowing preschoolers to exchange text messages with Scout, check Scout’s planner, and explore in a pretend browser mode. You can buy it here for $21.99.

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Playskool Helmet Heroes Toy Giveaway

lipsticktocrayons — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 04:31:34 +0000

By the time your child is five, 90 percent of his brain patterns are already formed. So learning while young is very important.

Playskool recently launched a “More Than Play” campaign, which is an educational initiative to share how play lays down important foundational skills needed for advanced learning like reading, writing, mathematics, critical problem solving, and conceptual thinking, to name just a handful.

You can learn more about child development facts and the benefits surrounding the skills associated to different Playskool toys at the Playskool More Than Play Web site. And the More Than Play campaign has developed several videos demonstrating the toys and their play benefits. Here is one for Helmet Heroes, which is the toy I’m giving away below:

You can buy Playskool Helmet Heroes here. , but one lucky Lipstick to Crayons reader can win one for free by entering the contest below.

Giveaway Guidelines:

Tell me in the comment section below why you want to win Playskool Helmet Heroes and what you think your kids have learned from their toys.

Receive additional entries by doing any/all of the following, but be sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

Blog about this contest
Subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed
Tweet this giveaway on Twitter (you can tweet daily if you want, but make sure you leave a comment each time you do).
Favorite Lipstick to Crayons on Technorati
Stumble this post
Add Lipstick to Crayons to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar
Become a fan of Lipstick to Crayons on Facebook

This giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. Central time Dec. 16. Be sure to include a valid email address with each of your entries. Contest open to United States residents only. Winner will be randomly chosen via random.org and will be notified via email and announced on this post.

If winner does not claim prize by Dec. 18, 2009, he/she will forfeit the prize to an alternate winner.

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Why Do Kids Stick Their Tongues Out?

Adorable/Affordable Kitchen for Preschoolers, Plus Other Great Deals

lipsticktocrayons — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 03:14:04 +0000

I absolutely had to share this deal with those of you who might have a pre-schooler who loves to play pretend — Walmart has “rolled back” the price on this adorable Step2 LifeStyle Custom Kitchen to $79.

This kitchen has all the bells and whistles that would delight any kiddo — oven, microwave, refrigerator, sink with faucet and accessory set. It comes with frying and boiling sound effects and cabinet and drawer space. I think I might be spending some of my toddler’s Christmas gift money on this item from which I’m sure she’ll get plenty of years of play.

Walmart also is offering some other amazing online specials. Check them out:
Save on Amazing Online Specials at Walmart.com!

Huge Savings on Holiday Rollback Electronics at Walmart.com!

Holiday Rollbacks in Electronics, Toys and Video Games at Walmart.com!

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We’re Pleasantly Puzzled

lipsticktocrayons — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:00:54 +0000

Have I mentioned that my toddler is really bright? (Hey — it’s my blog and I get to brag!) She turned 2 in October and one of her favorite activities is doing puzzles. I saved the wooden puzzles that I had from my older children, and those hand-me-down items include a puzzle of my oldest daughter’s name.

Because of the hundreds of times we’ve “played puzzles,” my toddler can recognize EVERY letter in my 14-year-old’s name. I’m afraid she’s going to have a serious “hand-me-down” complex. Can’t you just hear her whining to her therapist someday, “I didn’t know how to spell my own name until I was 10 because the letters in MY name weren’t in the hand-me-down puzzle I had to use.”

So, I decided it was time for her to have her own name puzzle, and I also wanted to have a full alphabet puzzle because she’s starting to show some real interest in letters (Did I mention that she’s very bright?)

Anyway, one of the problems with letter puzzles is that so many of them have funny-shaped or fancy letters. Those are pretty, but they’re not the best puzzles to use if you want your child to learn his or her letters. However, the educational puzzles from Puzzle Man ARE shaped properly. Plus, the puzzle pieces are thick and the puzzles are sturdy. In fact, they will probably last long enough for my toddler to hand them down to her children someday.

Ed (the puzzle man) and his wife, Suzanne, have been making wooden puzzles and selling them at craft fairs and through the mail for more than 20 years. All of their puzzles are individually hand-crafted with quality and education in mind. They use only the highest quality, furniture grade plywood that is domestically made from replenishable forests. Each puzzle is cut one at a time, then sanded and stained using a non-toxic, water-based stain. The puzzle is sealed with a clear, non-toxic finish so that it is BABY SAFE and may be cleaned using a damp cloth.

Now get this: they offer FREE REPLACEMENT PIECES for all of their puzzles. That’s amazing! All you have to do is send a tracing of the missing space, type of puzzle, color if known, and $1 for shipping.

Their puzzles are more substantial than most you’ll find on the market, and they are stained and not painted, so the color penetrates the wood and won’t chip.

They offer educational puzzles such alphabets, numbers and maps, personalized puzzles, plus a host of other adorable items. Prices start around $20 ($15 for a name puzzle, plus $1 per letter), to up to $65 for a map of France and Italy puzzle. You can order the puzzles here, and if you want to talk to Ed or Suzzanne, call the number on their site and they’ll answer the phone personally!

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Another Amazing Gift Guide & Easy Giveaway

lipsticktocrayons — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:03:39 +0000

Holiday shopping season is here again and the Global Influence network has some great gift ideas for you, tried and tested by real moms. Click on the links to check out what our team of reviewers had to say about each of these gift ideas, and then take a moment to enter our fun giveaway and take a chance at winning some of these fabulous products. Featured Reviews Pouchees –

Busy moms need all the help they can get to stay organized and keep life as simple as possible. The Pouchee is the perfect solution to keeping all those little things together, putting everything you need, right at your fingertips.

Duck Hunter -

Duck Hunter turns the excitement of the hunt into an activity the whole family can enjoy. Launch the duck in the air and try to hunt it down with the toy shooter as it flies freely in the air. A fun choice for those who love outdoor sporting.

CardStore cards

-Personalized holiday cards are an important item on everyone’s to-do list and often a hassle to create and print. Cardstore.com has everything from family photo cards to invitations for your big holiday party, simplifying your holiday season.

Great Holiday Gift Ideas Things Remembered Custom Couture Jewelry Just Elfin’ Around Card Cubby Harumika By Bandai Harumika Runway Showstopper Harumika Style Starter Baby Alive Whoopsie Doo Strawberry Shortcake Playset Kota Monty Rex Wall to Wall Basketball Nerf Pocket Vortex Busy Ball Popper Talking Chuck Truck Leapfrog My Pal Scout Leapfrog Tag Jr Leapfrog Scribble and Write Animal Planet Polar Land Playset Animal Planet Dinosaur Playmat Onionhead Adult/Teen Feelings Pack OnionHead Children’s Feelings Pack Onionhead A-Z Feelings Magnet Set FotoboxPlus MeTime Tees

Fun Holiday Giveaway!
For this holiday guide, we want to share the love with the blogosphere! Some of our generous sponsors have donated prizes to be given away to lucky readers! To enter to win one of the following fabulous prizes, simply fill out the form here: http://tinyurl.com/y8t92rw

Prizes include: Things Remembered Custom Couture Jewelry Pouchee Elfing Around Harumika Onionhead Feelings Pack Nerf Wall to Wall Basketball Baby Alive Whoopsie Doo MeTime T-shirt

Entries will close on December 6, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST. Winners will be contacted by email after the close of the contest.

Global Influence Member Guides Need more ideas for this holiday season? Check out the guides that some of our Global Influence members have put together on their own sites! Thrifty Jinxy, Happy Healthy Hip , And Twins Make Five , Because Two People Fell In Love, Mommy Musings , Lipstick to Crayons , Bargain Briana , Mommy PR , Shop With Me Mama, Santa Picks, Rave and Review, Connected 2 Christ , 3 Boys and a Dog, The Classy Closet , Contest Corner, Lisa Reviews , A Giveaway Every Day, HulaHoopinMom, Spalibrations, High Impact Mom, From Cribs to Car Keys

All reviews listed in the Global Influence gift guide were product provided. Featured positions were purchased by sponsors. Member gift guides are not affiliated with Global Influence.

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LeapFrog Holiday Online Specials

lipsticktocrayons — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:27:01 +0000

LeapFrog has some of the hottest toys for the holiday season and LeapFrog.com is offering you great specials for online shopping, starting now!

Until Nov. 25, LeapFrog is offering 20% off all products using this code: HOLIDAY20 (and there is free shipping on orders over $50).

From Nov. 25 to Nov. 30, LeapFrog.com will host a sitewide sale, offering 25% off this season’s hottest gifts.

For Cyber Monday (but beginning on Nov. 25) LeapFrog.com will offer extra deals on holiday favorites and bundle packages including select Leapster Games as low as $5, select Tag Books as low as $5.49, FLY Fusion Pen for $14.99 and up 75% off total savings on gift packs, such as the ultra-popular Tag, Tag Junior and Leapster.

Speaking of the Tag Junior, I will be posting my review of this very popular toy for toddlers in the coming week.

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Holiday Build-A-Bear Giveaway

lipsticktocrayons — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:49:57 +0000

Santa’s elves are chattering (and tweeting) about the new holiday gift ideas from Build-A-Bear Workshop.® And the folks at Build-A-Bear report that the hottest gift requests can be fulfilled with one-stop shopping at any of the more than 400 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores around the world or online.

This season, some stores will feature a special Build-A-Giftstation offering pre-stuffed animals and a selection of clothing and accessory options all in one place for easy access (both options are available beginning in mid-November). Finally, holiday online shopping is easy and fun at buildabear.com (which has a whole new look set to launch on Nov. 3). Beginning in early November, shoppers can go through the Amazing Gift-O-Matic “gift generator” process that helps them identify the perfect gift based on an individual’s character traits. And, there’s always the “one click shopping” option that lets you choose a fully attired furry friend, click on it and you’re set to go.

Naturally, the elves follow the trends, but never leave tradition behind. In the classic gifts category, best bets to ensure holiday happiness include Frosty the Snowman. And Frosty is joined by Holly and Hal Moose,™ the antlered sibling duo introduced last year along with their story book, “Holly and Hal Moose™: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure,” and a series of webisodes. This year, families can start a new holiday tradition by watching Holly and Hal in a one-hour animated television special based on the book, (details on the show which I wrote about here.)

Families can relive the excitement of the movie by making their own Holly and Hal stuffed animal friends and dressing them in new signature outfits and accessories from their debut TV appearance. But one lucky Lipstick to Crayons reader can win the duo by entering the contest below.

Giveaway Guidelines:

Leave a comment below telling me why you want to win Holly and Hal.

Receive additional entries by doing any/all of the following, but be sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

Blog about this contest
Subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed
Tweet this giveaway on Twitter (you can tweet daily if you want, but make sure you leave a comment each time you do).
Favorite Lipstick to Crayons on Technorati
Stumble this post
Add Lipstick to Crayons to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar
Become a fan of Lipstick to Crayons on Facebook
Enter my GE appliance giveaway here.

This giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. Central time Nov. 16. Be sure to include a valid email address with each of your entries. Contest open to United States residents only. Winners will be randomly chosen via random.org and will be notified via email and announced on this post.

If winners do not claim prize by Nov.18, 2009, they will forfeit the prize to an alternate winner.

This contest is closed. Congrats to the winner, Marie M., comment #112.