My husband can’t wait for TJ to be able to play with micro blocks with him.  While he is a little young yet, TJ loves to build things.  He can build an amazing tower out of cups, and he can build a mean robot with his large Mega Bloks. In a couple of years he is going to be ready for the micro blocks sets like Legos and the new Blok Squad playsets from Mega Bloks.

Blok Squad buildable playsets introduce kids to everyday heroes with themes such as fire patrol, police, and construction. Blok Squad is perfect for kids, ages 5 and up, who have transitioned from mini blocks to micro blocks and are ready for more detailed builds. We were sent the construction playset that includes 395 micro blocks.  With this set, my husband was able to build three different construction vehicles for TJ to play with.

The pieces came in several bags.  For the life of us, we couldn’t figure out how they were separated.  The hardest part of building the vehicles was finding the right pieces to go.  I have had a lot of experience with Legos in my classroom and often this is the hardest part of building any of the projects.  The first vehicle (the 4×4 truck) took my husband a little while to build.  TJ was really excited watching my husband put it together and really wanted to help, but he is just too young to put the small blocks together and would get frustrated.

When the first truck was built, TJ played with it for hours.  I appreciated that the truck was able to be played with and not just for looks.  Unfortunately, TJ brought the truck over to his cousins house where they played with it and took it apart and lost some of the parts to it.  In a few years when he is a little older, he is going to have a lot of fun putting playsets together like this one.  My husband enjoyed himself, and built all three sets over the course of December.  I think that your never to old to play with micro blocks!

There are several different micro blocks playsets from Mega Bloks available online and in stores nationwide.  Be sure to visit Mega Bloks’ website to learn more.  The Construction Site playset retails for just $19.99!

This review is made possible by Mega Bloks in conjunction with Child’s Play Communications. I was not compensated for this post other than a product sample for review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Summer is a time full of fun outdoor activities.  I have pulled TJ out of daycare for the summer, so we need to keep busy.  The weather lately has been fantastic which means we have been spending a lot of our time outside. TJ has been helping me with the garden and taking care of all the plants and flowers around our house.  We have been loving blowing bubbles and playing on the Step2 swing and slide that we reviewed last year.  Keeping a two year old busy is a full time job, and I was so very thankful to work with Step2 again.  This time we received the Sand and Water Fun Farm, and it has been a life saver!

Step2 is a wonderful company who is the largest American manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys. The Step2 family also includes Thinkativity and Infantino (you can read some of my Infantino reviews here and here).

Building children’s  imaginations is extremely difficult to do these days with video games and television playing such a large role in entertainment for our young ones.  I can fully support a company that strives to enrich childhood by creating products that build imagination.

My son was very excited when he saw the Step2 box!  My husband was a little skeptical (he also hates putting together toddler toys).  I was amazed at how easy it was to assemble.  I actually ran to the home store and it was put together and TJ was playing by the time I got back with the sand.  I didn’t get pictures of the assembly, but my husband said it was a piece of cake!

The sand and water table comes with a lot of accessories that TJ loves!  The farm includes farm figurines, tractor, two pull carts, shovel, barn, and funnel that can be used with sand and water.  The funnel is a little difficult to turn, but as TJ found out wet sand works the best for it!

TJ has been obsessed with trains lately so he has loved the tractor and his “train”.  He can put the carts together easily and he loves to make it go around the farm and cross the bridges.  The barn is not fixed to the table so it can be taken off and moved around.  TJ loves to have the tractor go through the barn.  The barn does like to fall off the table a lot, but TJ has no difficulty putting it back on.

The animals are fun to put into the carts and go around the table.  The Fish and Frog are also water squirts and they have been a blast to have in the heat that we have been having here. TJ’s cousins (ages 5 and 3) came over and they also had a blast playing with the table.  I was impressed that my niece didn’t get bored, but she played with it for about a half an hour!

I do wish that it had a plug in the bottom of the water container.  It would make it a lot easier to clean up and drain out the water.  I also wish that it came with a cover.  TJ literally uses this everyday so I hate having to put it in the garage every night.  I solved this by getting a tarp and covering it every night, but it is an eyesore and the tarp is way to large for it.

Overall, the Step2 Sand and Water Fun Farm has been a welcome addition to our backyard.  It has made our “Staycation” more enjoyable.  I would highly recommend this sand and water table to any family with toddlers.

Check out Step2 on Lifetime Television this June!

Step2 will be featured in a special two-part episode of Designing Spaces’ Miracle Makeovers To Remember series. Step2’s donation to the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital will help turn an ordinary children’s hospital playroom into a fun and loving environment.

The Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital offers cancer treatments, brain surgeries, heart transplants and many other rigorous procedures for kids of all ages. At this hospital, no one is refused treatment and everyone is treated equally so it’s about time these children received a gift for their courage!

I hope you can tune in and watch this amazing transformation – it will air on Lifetime Television tonight or June 24^th at 7:30 a.m. ET and PT.

Buy It

You can purchase the Step2 Sand and Water Fun Farms at stores nationwide or on Step2.com for $59.99.

Win It

One (1) lucky reader will win a Step2 Sand and Water Fun Farm of their very own!

How to Enter:

Leave a comment telling what other product you would love to own from Step2!

Bonus Entries:

• Follow me on Twitter and Tweet: “Win a Step2 Sand and Water Fun Farm @AMomsImpression http://wyn.cc/yfvbr #Step2″  (You may enter daily, just leave a comment with each Tweet’s link)
• Follow Step2 on Twitter
• Like A Mom’s Impression on Facebook
• Like Step2 on Facebook
• Blog about this giveaway (Please leave a link to your post)
• Grab my Button and post it on your blog.
• Subscribe to A Mom’s Impression by Email (2 Entries, please leave 2 comments: Please remember to confirm your subscription)
• Comment on any non-giveaway post on A Mom’s Impression. (just tell me what post you commented on)

Please leave a comment about each entry, include a valid email address or you may contact me directly with your contact information.
Open to US residents only. This giveaway will end at midnight on June 30. Winner will be picked from Random.org. 
Good Luck!

This giveaway was made possible by Step2.  I was not compensated for this giveaway other than a product sample.  All opinions are 100% mine.

TJ has been more and more interested in learning through cartoons and games.  He loves watching Disney Jr. on television and he is picking up things from the shows that he watches.  In fact the other day he had this dialog with his uncle:

TJ and Cousin L:  “Crackers” (to uncle)

Uncle: “Okay, you both want some crackers.  What is the magic word?”

Cousin L: “Please”

TJ (simultaneously): “Meeska, Mooska, Mickey Mouse!”

I tell you this story, not only because it cracked me up, but because our children do learn from the cartoons and videos that they watch.  That being said, finding good quality cartoons and games is a must during this technological day and age.  Recently we were asked to review the new K-Magic Interactive Movie and Game Console that will be released in September.

Here is a little bit more about the console:

This is basically a game system/cartoon watcher/music player all in one!  The Combo Set includes 12 Educational Game Cards, 3 Baby’s First Word Cards, 1 Baby’s First Music Card, and 20 built in cartoons.

Here is a short video explaining all the features and benefits of the K-Magic Interactive Movie and Game Console:

Our Thoughts:

TJ was so very excited to get this toy out of the box.  As soon as he saw it he wanted it.  I pulled it out and got the batteries in the console and tried to turn it on.  Here is where reading the directions would have been helpful.  To turn on the machine, you have to press and HOLD the on/off switch for several seconds.  We tried pushing the button several times and thought we had a defective unit until I contacted someone and they told me that I needed to hold down the button for a few seconds.  After we did that we haven’t had any problems with the console.

TJ immediately loved playing with the console.  There was a learning curve, and because TJ is only 25 months old, there is a lot that he still doesn’t understand about the gaming system.  He is quickly learning, and I am happy to report that I believe he has learned a lot of his colors because of the system.

I absolutely love that this system is portable.  Having this on a road trip or in the car when mommy is running errands is a lifesaver.  The cartoons alone make the system worth it.  We are planing a trip to Idaho in the summer and having this available on the airplane is going to make the trip a little less painful.

The cartoons feature Patrick (a little red dog) and his friends.  They are about 3 minutes long and teach children about shapes, colors, manners, feelings, numbers and much more!  I have been working hard with TJ on saying “Please” and “Thank you”.  I love that these little cartoons reinforce what we are teaching him at home. We are currently working on colors and numbers, so having these little games and cartoons are a wonderful addition in our home.

The K-Magic Interactive Movie and Game Console is created for babies all the way to age 6!  I know as a mother and a consumer I love products that will work with my kid for a long period of time. I am constantly buying something that I think TJ will love and then he will play with it for a few weeks and then he doesn’t touch it again.  Having a gaming system that will work as a music player when he is a baby, a cartoon viewer when he is 2-6, a gaming system when he is 2-5 is an amazing product to have. I don’t mind spending more money on a product like this than for a Leapster that kids will only use for a couple of years.

Buy It

You can purchase a K-Magic Interactive Moive and Game Console in September from K’s Kids!

This product review was made possible by K-Kids.  I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample. All opinions are 100% mine.

Finding television shows that I am happy for TJ to watch is an easier job thanks to Caillou. PBS Kids and Sprout bring educational, developmentally appropriate entertainment to preschoolers.  If you are not familiar with Caillou, here is a little synopsis of the show:

Growing up is the greatest adventure, especially when you are 4 years old. Each Caillou episode is about a simple everyday life situation that feels so BIG to a child. It’s about discovery and imagination. Watching Caillou helps children feel empowered and inspired. What Caillou does in the episodes reflects what every child does in their day-to-day lives. Caillou is an everyday hero and “a kid just like me.

In addition to the show, Caillou has a line of preschool toys designed to develop early learning skills.  We recently received the Caillou doll and Learning Train.  The doll is adorable and at 14.5″ it is the perfect size for toddlers.  There doesn’t seem to be a big selection of dolls for boys, but the Caillou doll is perfect.

Of the two toys we got,TJ fell in love with the Learning Train.  The Learning Train is a little larger than I expected but works well with TJ’s little hands.  As soon as it came out of the box he was off and playing.  The characters inside the train are easy to play with and actually come apart in three pieces to mix and match.  TJ loves to mix Caillou’s head with Rosie’s dress!  The engine and passenger car connect together easily, and it only took TJ a few tries to figure it out.

The train has a wind up key that you can turn and it will go a long distance on its own.  TJ loves this and will often ask me to make it go for him.  There is a bell and a squeak feature on the train that TJ likes as well.

The train has been so nice for TJ.  He loves “Choo Choos” and has a wooden train set that he is just too young to use and he gets frustrated when he tries.  This preschool train is perfect.  He often asks us to play with his “Choo Choo” and loves all the activities that the train has to offer. If you have young children, these toys are perfect!

Caillou toys can be found at 272 participating Toys R Us stores (visit the store locator to find the one nearest you) and online at sites such as www.toysrus.com, www.fao.com, www.kohls.com, and www.tystoybox.com.

This review is made possible by Caillou in conjunction with Team Mom. I was not compensated for this post other than a product sample for review. All opinions are 100% mine.

We love Mega Bloks in our house!  TJ received a few different sets for Christmas, and had been building with them ever since.  I love that he is able to put them together and build effortlessly.  They are are the perfect size for toddlers hands and he doesn’t get frustrated with them like he does with older kids’ Legos.

We were recently sent the Mega Bloks Domino Build Game.  The game is designed for both boys and girls from the ages of 3 to about 6 years old.  While TJ is almost 2, we adapted the game for him and he still had a lot of fun playing with it.  The game plays just like dominos where you play your cards and match colors or animals.  Every time you make a match you win one of the blocks for your Mega Blok animal.  As soon as you have all of your animal bloks you win!  We adapted this so that there was just a large pile of dominos and TJ matched the colors.  He also had a lot of fun playing with the animal Mega Bloks.  I love this game because it helps reinforce learning colors and shapes and learning how to match and sort.

The Mega Brands also created a  Mega Bloks Family Club where members receive printable coupons, exclusive offers, contests, sweepstakes, and promotions on Mega Bloks Toys.  There is also an educational and informative blog written by a panel of mom bloggers.  The blog included articles on the benefits of construction toys, product reviews, pictures and much more.  Also, members of the Mega Bloks Family Club will receive a free email newsletter with great new ideas for kids ages 1 and up!   To sign up, visit Mega Bloks’ Website.

This review is made possible by Mega Bloks in conjunction with Team Mom. I was not compensated for this post other than a product sample for review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Toy Story 3 toy are really popular right now with the release of the movie onto DVD about a month ago.  Everywhere I look when I go to Target I see Toy Story 3 toys.  What kid wouldn’t love these fun, familiar characters?  I love them myself!  My favorite would have to be Woody.

We were privileged to host a Toy Story Action Links party earlier this month.  I loved preparing for the party.  I found some wonderful Toy Story 3 accessories at the dollar spot at Target to help with the party favors.  They had water jugs and Toy Story 3 candies.  I even found these Cheese Crackers that had the face of some of the characters on them.  As you can see TJ loved them:
Here is a closeup of the Buzz cracker.

We received some of the Toy Story Action Links and some action figures to go with the sets and to send home with guests.

Action Links work like a chain reaction.  First you press for the stunt to start then one thing hits another thing that causes another action to happen.  Each set has about 5 actions.  The age recommendation is 5+.

The Action link sets were a lot of fun, but unfortunately a little too old for TJ yet.  They will be perfect for my class full of kindergarten students so I am really looking forward to bringing them to school.  What TJ did love were the action figures that you can purchase for the sets (the sets also include 3 of these in each box).  He had fun playing with Alien, Woody, Buz and Rex and his blocks.  He loves building towers of blocks and standing one of the figures on top.

Our party was a lot of fun.  Because of the timing of the party so close to a personal tragedy, we kept the party to family only.  We are planing on doing another Toy Story party early in the new year and invite a lot more of our friends.  I will be sure to post about the next party and let you in on all the party food I have planned for it.

I recieved the toys sets and figures from MomSelect and Mattel to facilitate the party.  I provided my own food, drinks and other party supplies.

Mattel has been a major toy authority for many years.  I have played with Mattel toys, and now my little guy is old enough to play with them too.  This holiday season Mattel has many new toys that appeal to kids of all ages.  One of the many newer toys is the Frightening McMean toy car.  Inspired by Pixar’s Cars, Frightening McMean is the monster truck version of Lightening McQueen in “Monster Truck Mater”.  Here are some features of the toy:

• Tap the hood to hear him say phrases from the Toon
• Monster-sized tires for kid-powered action
• Tag-team partner of Mater’s “Tormentor” monster struck
• Inspired by the Pixar short film

The box says it is reccommended for ages 4 and up but my almost 2 year-old loves it.  He played with it all afternoon the other day delighting in making it talk.

The truck is larger than some other toy trucks that are on the market, but that really helped TJ keep his hands on it.

The toy comes ready to play after assembling two tires.  It was ready in seconds for TJ to play with.  He enjoyed pushing the car all around the house.  Frightening McMean will be a great toy for kids of all ages.

Here is a video of TJ playing with his new toy:

Frightening McMean is available for $19,99 on Mattel shop.

This product review was made possible by Mattel.  I was not compensated for this giveaway other than a product sample. All opinions are 100% mine.

I was talking to a colleague the other day about Christmas gifts that we are looking at buying for our families.  She mentioned that she was looking for a specific girls toy but wanted to make sure that it was high quality.  We were talking and she said that she would only purchase it from someone reputable like the Step 2 company because she knew it would be durable and last a long time.  Our conversation really got me thinking about how important a company’s name and reputation is.  If you build quality toys, then consumers will spend a little extra to get that brand name product.  This holiday season make sure your gift will for many years.

I was very fortunate to work with the Step 2 company for the second time, this time with my 2010 Holiday Gift Guide.  I wanted to showcase a toy that would be perfect for any little boy this Christmas.  I chose the Deluxe Workshop.

The Step 2 Deluxe Workshop is a wonderful gift for any child.  The recommended ages are for kids 3 and up, and after receiving the workshop I found out why.  There are a lot of activities associated with the Deluxe Workshop, including a 50- piece accessory set.

The workshop includes a “working” drill and overhead shop light (requires 2 “AA” and 3 “AAA” batteries, not included) that makes a little boy feel like he is working just like daddy does in his workshop.

There are compartments and containers that will easily store all of your accessory set and any current tool toys that you might already own. There are also hanging jars to hold nuts and bolts (I remember my grandpa having these same kind of jars in his workshop space).  There is also a shop vac (I think TJ already knows what this is thanks to all the leakage we have had in our basement lately). The drill is really cool, it sounds pretty similar to our electric drill and TJ loves that.  Every time daddy gets it out to fix something or to build something, TJ wants to try it out.  Now he has a kid-friendly one of his own.

I think that my favorite feature of the Deluxe Workshop is the Durafoam Wood pieces that kids can actually use to make projects.  They can also use the drill and other tools with the “wood” pieces as well.  The Durafoam is strong enough to withstand a beating, but also soft as to not hurt our little ones while they are working with them. Here are few of the projects your little ones can make:

The Step 2 Deluxe Workshop is a fantastic toy for both boys and girls. There is countless projects and things that kids can play with that will alleviate boredom.  I mentioned before that the recommended age for this workshop is ages 3 and up and I would have to say that that is a pretty good age range.  TJ is 20 months and the Deluxe Workshop was a little too much for him to appreciate.  We decided that we would store this for a little while and break it out again when he is a little older.  If you have a 3- 7 year old, I would highly recommend the Deluxe Workshop as a holiday gift this year.  The box is pretty large and takes up a lot of room so please beware if you are trying to hide it until Christmas.  Also, plan on at least an hour of assembly time.  This isn’t one of those gifts that you can assemble on Christmas (unless you have a lot of time on your hands).

Check out Step2.com for amazing deals (lots of free shipping) just in time for your holiday gift list.  The Deluxe Workshop is on sale for $120.99 and you can also enjoy free shipping.

This product feature was made possible by Step 2.  I was not compensated for this post other than a product sample. All opinions are 100% mine.

I was fortunate to be a part of the Build-A-Bear Cyber Bear Conference this past summer.  I fell in love with this company.  They have a huge heart and it shows.  I created my very first Build-A-Bear at a store in St. Louis while I was there.  I made a puppy with a Luke Skywalker outfit for TJ.  He loves it.  I couldn’t wait to bring him there to build his very first bear.  Well, last weekend we made that happen.

I have mentioned before that TJ loves stuffed animals.  He is in this phase where he has to be surrounded by them in his crib  (luckily he is old enough now to have them with him in his crib).  We went to the mall and I brought him into Build-A-Bear.  I could tell that he was excited.  I put him down and he ran up and down the bins, pointing at all the different animals that he could choose from.

He kept going back to the new Star Wars Bear.  It is a bright blue and has the Star Wars emblem on his foot.  I thought it was a perfect fit.  He loved making the bear and kissing the little heart that goes inside.  The fluffer made him a little scared, but when the bear was stuffed he hugged it with all his little might!  He didn’t even let it go when we got into the car and went home.

One of my favorite things about Build-A-Bear is all the outfits and accessories that you can purchase for the bears.  We got two full outfits for TJ’s bear.  He got a Darth Vader costume that included a light saber, and I couldn’t resist getting the Colt’s uniform for him.  He is the perfect shade of blue to be a Colt’s Bear.  Check him out:

We also added a football because TJ wouldn’t leave the store without it. Here are the rest of the new Star Wars characters:

In addition to the new Star Wars Bear, Build-A-Bear has several new products for the holidays.

A Build-A-Bear gift card would be the perfect gift for any child on your list this holiday season, and the generous people at Build-A-Bear are giving you a chance to win one right here!

Win It:

One (1) lucky reader will win a $25 gift card to Build-A-Bear!

How to Enter:

Visit Build-A-Bear and tell me what your favorite Build-A-Bear accessory is!

Bonus Entries:

• Follow me on Twitter and Tweet: Win a $25 Gift Card to Build-A-Bear @AMomsImpressionhttp://wyn.cc/s4szq  (You may enter daily, just leave a comment with each Tweet’s link)
• Follow Build-A-Bear on Twitter
• Like A Mom’s Impression on Facebook
• Like Build-A-Bear on Facebook
• Vote for me on Picket Fence (Can vote daily, leave a comment each time)
• Blog about this giveaway (Please leave a link to your post)
• Grab my Button and post it on your blog.
• Subscribe to A Mom’s Impression by Email (2 Entries, please leave 2 comments: Please remember to confirm your subscription)
• Comment on any non-giveaway post on A Mom’s Impression. (just tell me what post you commented on)

Please leave a comment about each entry, include a valid email address or you may contact me directly with your contact information.
Open to US  and Canada residents only. This giveaway will end at midnight on December 7. Winner will be picked from Random.org. 
Good Luck!

This giveaway was made possible by Build-A-Bear.  I received a gift card for purposes of doing this review.  All opinions are 100% mine.

When one giveaway closes, another opens.  We were very fortunate to receive another pillow pet to review for the holiday season (you can read all about Ms. Lady Bug here).  This time TJ was the lucky recipient of the Snuggly Puppy.

In case you are not familiar with pillow pets they are stuffed animals that turn into a pillow. All you have to do is undo the Velcro strap on the bottom of the pet and it unfolds into a pillow.  You simply re-Velcro the strap to turn it back into your cuddly pet.  Its easy and simple for even a young child to do.

TJ loves his Snuggly Puppy.  He has slept with it every night since it arrived on our doorstep.  He loves it when I un-velcro it and put it on the floor.  He will flop on top of it on his tummy.  It is adorable. We haven’t gotten him a standard pillow for his crib yet, and because he loves stuffed animals it has been a good transition pillow for him to get used to (I am still not in any hurry to take him out of the crib yet though).

Like I mentioned in my last post, Pillow Pets are going to be the “it” item of the holiday season this year so be sure to purchase yours ahead of the holiday rush.

Buy It:

You can purchase Pillow Pets on www.lovemypillowpet.com

Win It:

One (1) lucky reader will win a Snuggly Puppy Pillow Pet!

How to Enter:

Visit My Pillow Pets and tell another Pillow Pet you love besides Snuggly Puppy! (You must complete this entry before completing any of the bonus entries)

Bonus Entries:

• Follow me on Twitter and Tweet: Win a Snuggly Puppy Pillow Pet  @AMomsImpression http://wyn.cc/hwthv (You may enter daily, just leave a comment with each Tweet’s link)
• Visit My Pillow Pets Blog and leave a comment on one of their posts.
• Like A Mom’s Impression on Facebook
• Like My Pillow Pets  on Facebook
• Vote for me on Picket Fence (Can vote daily, leave a comment each time)
• Blog about this giveaway (Please leave a link to your post)
• Grab my Button and post it on your blog.
• Subscribe to A Mom’s Impression by Email (2 Entries, please leave 2 comments: Please remember to confirm your subscription)
• Comment on any non-giveaway post on A Mom’s Impression. (just tell me what post you commented on)

Please leave a comment about each entry, include a valid email address or you may contact me directly with your contact information.
Open to US  and Canada residents only. This giveaway will end at midnight on December 5. Winner will be picked from Random.org. 
Good Luck!

This product review was made possible by My Pillow Pets.  I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample. All opinions are 100% mine.