The Exergen Temporal Scanner is changing the way we take temperatures. I still remember the old fashion way of sticking a mercury thermometer under my tongue, during a fever. As a child, I always felt it very cold, hard and uncomfortable, trying to keep still for about a minute. And to think, sometimes, I had to retake my temperature over and over again, just because it wasn’t placed properly.

Now, thanks to Exergen’s patented software, the TemporalScanner Temperature provides arterial heat balance. This unique process determines temperature by accurately measuring the balance between the tissues warming from arterial blood and tissues cooling (warming) caused by heat loss (gain) to the environment. All it needs is a gently swipe on the forehead. Yes! It’s that simple!

More about Exergen Temporal Scanner :

The TemporalScanner Thermometer is designed to measure the temperature of the skin surface over the temporal artery, a major artery of the head. The temporal artery is connected to the heart via the carotid artery, directly leading from the aorta, the main trunk of the arterial system. It offers constant blood flow. It is the only such artery positioned close enough to the skin surface to provide access needed to take an accurate measurement. It is easy to use because it is ideally located at the front portion of the forehead. The TemporalScanner is easier and gentler to use than other types of measurement devices such as oral, rectal, underarm and in-ear thermometers because it is truly non-invasive.

Here we have real-life accounts of how the Exergen TemporalScanner works, from our reviewers :

Katydid and Kid :  The thermometer is extremely easy to use, even on a wiggly toddler who was very interested in the device and wanted to hold it rather than let me use it. It takes literally a few seconds to use, and you don’t have to sit there waiting for an accurate reading while your child keeps a traditional thermometer under his tongue or arm.

Stacy Moore : We are thrilled with our new Scanner. It’s such a quick and reliable way to take our little one’s temperature! With one gentle stroke of the scanner over the forehead we were able to determine if our little one had a fever! We highly recommend this great product to everyone!

The Mom Buzz :  The Exergen is my best friend when my oldest spikes fevers to 104 and I just want to give a reading to the pediatrician ASAP. Plus, I can also get his temperature when he is sleeping – he never knows that I am checking up on him again. And those times when your kids feel “warm”, but you aren’t sure if they are feverish – well it’s a lot easier to just grab the Exergen and double check than any other thermometer in the house.

Hotomom : I’ll be honest this takes some getting used to, usually after 5 scans you’ve got it down. I would practice a bit first but then also be sure you are more gentle because the first time I made L’s forehead red. But, seriously I wouldn’t lie, it’s easy.

Reviews & Reflections : Before it even arrived in the mail, I started doing my research.  The thing that really excited me was the speed with which this scanner reads the body temperature.  With just a quick stroke over the forehead, you have a reading.  And it’s amazingly accurate – to within .2 degrees F (that’s POINT 2!)

Three Different Directions : The reason it is so accurate?  In the couple of seconds that it takes to sweep over the forehead to the temple it takes about 2000 readings and it selects the most accurate. It takes some practice to use it right, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll feel like you’re a medical professional.

Short Pump Preppy : Dude, I would have gotten one of these a long time ago.  Everyone in the house gets sick at the same time, and I have never liked sharing thermometers.  Now I’m not keeping up with 4 different thermometers.  (call me crazy, that’s what we did).  To me it’s like sharing toothbrushes.  *go ahead, talk behind my back*

Mom on the Rise : Nonetheless, I didn’t have to worry about changes to the temperature due to drinking, positioning,talking, or moving. An important thing to note is that if your patient is sweating, the temperature should not be taken across the forehead but rather the on the neck behind the ear lobe.

My Quest for Sanity : Honestly this review couldn’t have come at a better time. The day before I received the Exergen temporal scanner, I was diagnosed with H1N1 and 3 days after I was diagnosed my poor sweet Sophia caught it. Now, I would never wish to be as ill as we were but having this God sent product on hand made it a little easier. Like I said before, checking the temperature on a finicky 3 year old is one heck of a job but add in a nasty flu and it is just THAT much harder.

One House Schoolroom Review : We have had quite a few opportunities to test the Temporal Scanner during this flu season and we have had wonderful results.  It is so quick that my little ones didn’t even know we were taking their temperature.  We often had to hold my youngest child still while taking her temperature under her arm, causing her even more discomfort and tears.  With the Temporal Scanner this was not any issue at all.

Buy It! : This is a fantastic gift for any new and been-there-done-that parents. With its’ ease of use, during a difficult time, I’m pretty sure your name will be blessed a thousand times, for sending the perfect gift. Or, you can just get it for yourself, and bless yourself a thousand times.

Here’s where you can get them (retail and online) : ToysRUs, Costco, Walmart, Walgreens, Shoppers Drug Mart, BabyCenter.com, Sam’s Club.

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/0

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

I was ecstatic to receive three eebee’s Adventures DVDs ~ Exploring Real Stuff, All in a Day’s Play, Figuring Things Out, from Every Baby Company. I had read about them, in a mothers’ forum, and was really happy to have had this opportunity to review them.

I had to wait impatiently for my littlest guy to wake up from his afternoon nap, to test it out on him. Was the longest 2 hour wait ever! Normally, I’d relish for such quietness, but this was a rare occasion where I would have preferred him to wake up earlier!

So, the little guy finally got up, and I excitedly turned on the TV. I had picked out “Exploring Real Stuff”, and it had super cool reggae tunes coming out. He kept bobbing his bum up and down, to the tune. I knew that he’d ‘dance’ to the music, but I wasn’t sure if he would be paying attention to eebee’s actions.

I say this, because, he kept walking around and around and around the room, bobbing his bum.

However, I knew that he somehow absorbed some of the material in, when the very next day, he dug into my kitchen cabinets for a plastic bowl and marched towards my laundry room. I had kept a small bucket of recycled water (for my plants), when I heard a water pouring sound.

Yes.. you guess it, my lil guy decided to go for some eebee adventure, taking the water from the smaller bucket, and pouring it into a bigger bucket . I knew then… eebee really works!

About eebee :

eebee’s adventures are designed to engage you and your baby with rich play experiences that provide powerful lessons that memorizing letters, numbers, colors and shapes simply can and do not.

Watching and, importantly, “doing” eebee’s adventures will allow you and your baby to see and learn first-hand what happens when you explore a crinkly, crunchy, smooth and bumpy paper mountain or roll, bounce, bop, bang, slide and toss your way around a world of balls and ramps.

We know that when your child is playing, she is actively trying to figure things out about objects and people—why did that ball roll and the block slide? How did he do that? Why did that happen?… The questions, theories and solutions just continue to evolve as your child develops and masters a myriad of critical physical, social and intellectual skills—playing and learning about how the world works and he works in it.

Every parent can recount a time when their infant headed straight for that curtain to give it a pull; or happily opted to tear the wrapping paper rather then engage with the gift; or tried and tried to get the round peg into the square hole; or simply offered you whatever was in their hand.

BUY IT! : What I really liked about eebee, is that  the lil character “eebee” is really colorful and engaging to look at. The actions/adventures, eebee and other babies go through are, stuff we can do with our baby at any time, in our very own home. Yes! We can re-create the whole adventure ourselves, because we can find most of them at our homes.

I  love eebee’s philosophy and approach, as it doesn’t just stick to the “conformed” child development approach, and instead, it really aims to connect with your baby with fun activities, colors, different music genres, realism and most of all, it’s simplicity.

The signature tune was so catchy, my two elder boys started singing to it! I was totally floored by these DVDs. No wonder they’ve won many Parent’s Choice awards for their products!

eebee has books, DVDs, clothing, gift sets and even it’s very own eebee plush toy ! It is suitable for babies from 6months onwards. Plus, I saw an eebee beanie! How cute is that! I’d like one myself!!! LOL!

WIN IT: Here’s the exciting part! The generous people at Every Baby Company, were kind enough to give one a set of eebee’s Adventures DVDs to one lucky winner!

All you have to do is :

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

I was recently given the chance to check out the FLEX shoes from Pediped™. They’re the next generation of pediped™ footwear for children ages 2 to 5+ years. My little princesses, who love shoes, just like their mommy, were more than happy to try these shoes out for me! The reviews are in… from my 4 year old girls.

ABOUT : pediped™ footwear was created in 2004 by Angela and Brian Edgeworth. After their first daughter Caroline was born, Angela started to do a lot of thinking about footwear and the kind of shoes that would be best for her child. She wanted a shoe that was comfortable, stylish and could be worn both indoors and out. Most importantly, she wanted a shoe that was healthy for her daughter’s feet.

After doing a lot of research, Angela discovered that doctors recommended barefoot walking or soft leather sole shoes, but the choices for infants and toddlers were limited. That is when Angela and her husband Brian decided to create the perfect shoe which was “the next best thing to bare feet”.

Today, pediped™ uses the latest technology, plus the highest quality materials and craftsmanship to create shoes for children that are designed to care for their feet from crawling, to those amazing first steps and into the toddler years. The philosophy of pediped™ has always been Comfort, Quality and Style, which is why pediped™ was one of the first children’s shoe companies the American Podiatric Medical Association awarded their Seal of Acceptance for promoting healthy foot development.

The Originals™ line for pre-walkers is designed to most closely mimic barefoot walking and the natural foot shape of a child. The Flex™ line combines everything she wanted for her daughters when looking for a rubber soled shoe; high quality, fine leather and a soft flexible rubber sole.

The name pediped™ came from a doctor friend of Angela’s while her daughter was wear testing shoes. Pedi is for pediatrician and ped is Latin for foot.

The company believes in creating shoes that are healthy for children’s feet, being corporately responsible and giving back to the community.

Again, they do not disappoint! The shoes are very soft and flexible, with padded heel collars and cushioned insoles. I can’t tell you how many shoes I went through as a child that dug into and rubbed the back of my heels raw. These shoes are so well cushioned, that won’t happen to your little ones’ feet. Their cushioned insoles protect against shock and distribute the pressure evenly across the feet. This makes a huge difference, especially as they get older, run faster and play harder!

Another thing that I liked was that, they came with additional insoles so that we could customize the fit just a little. It helps me get them just a little larger so they can last just a little bit longer. Makes spending that extra money on a really good pair of shoes very worth it. My girls like to wear the same thing every now and then, but as you can see from the photo, they can change the look even for identical twins! I love how cute those shoes are! Even more, I like how they’re good for their feet. My girls absolutely love shoes, and will run them through the paces. They’ve run around in our backyard more than I can count in these shoes, and they seem to hold up pretty well. Granted, it’s only been a few weeks, but there’s no sign of splitting or scuffing as of yet

BUY IT : Pediped™ is ready with shoes and sandals for every day and for every occasion ~ at a price you can afford while caring for your baby’s feet.

WIN IT: Guess what!?!?! We’re giving away a pair of pediped™ Originals™!

• One entry – Visit Pediped™ and tell us which Pediped™ Originals™ you’d like to win.
• Three additional entries if you
• Three additional entries if you subscribe to our feed.
• If you qualify for additional entries, please comment separately and let us know which option you’ve used.
• Giveaway is open to Continental US shipping addresses only.
• Giveaway closes on 14th September 2009 and a winner will be picked using Random.Org. We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe or check back here so that you do not miss the announcement of winners.

Sometime last year, we had the opportunity to review a wonderful baby sling called the Sleepy Wrap, which was given the thumbs up by the majority of our parent reviewers. The same company,  NAP, Inc.  recently introduced The Sleepy Bear, their very first stuffed toy to help promote babywearing! 

Mommies and daddies will be pleased to learn that the Sleepy Bear is made from the softest organic cotton, making it the perfect toy for your little child to cuddle. Safety wise, parents can also be assured that there is no risk of choking hazards as there are no buttons, snaps or removable parts used on the Sleepy Bear.

BUY IT :  Retailing at $29.95, the Sleepy Bear is available exclusively for purchase through the retailers listed below:

Canada
Tadpoles & Butterflies Sherwood Park, Alberta CANADA info@tadpoles.ca www.tadpoles.ca 1.888.312.6554	The Extraordinary Baby Shoppe 1131 Wellington Street W, Ontario CANADA 900 King Street West, Ontario CANADA spearso@bellnet.ca http://www.extraordinarybabyshoppe.com 613.321.7249
USA
Heavenly Hold 510 Briarfield Crossing| Marietta, GA amber@heavenlyhold.com www.heavenlyhold.com 404.849.5394  Supermommy’s Superstore 2411 Ring Road, Suite 105 Elizabethtown, KY info@supermommyssuperstore.com www.SupermommysSuperstore.com 270.769.6693   Sweet Infant 1007 S. Country Club Rd. Lovington, NM support@sweetinfant.com www.sweetinfant.com 575.441.3005   Oregon Soap Shoppe 91C South Daysville Road Oregon, IL glcamling@aol.com www.OregonSoapShoppe.com 866-411-6614	Nurtured Family 8525 Jackrabbit Rd., Suite B Houston, TX support@nurturedfamily.com www.nurturedfamily.com 832.239.5140  Baby Carriers-n-More 265 W Cimmarron Way Erda, UT robyn@babycarriersnmore.com www.babycarriersnmore.com 801.671.5740   Attached to Baby Seattle, WA sara@attachedtobaby.com www.attachedtobaby.com 800.887.1461

Some of our parent reviewers were sent the Sleepy Bear to “test drive” with their children. Check out how the Sleepy Bear fared:

3 Kids And Us -The Sleepy Bear doubles as a little role model for your children. While it’s fun to play with, this plush toy also gives a great example of just how cuddly babywearing can be. The baby bear is all wrapped up next to mommy bear in a play version of the Sleepy Wrap Organic Khaki Wrap.

5 Vinez Monkeys – As I’ve already mentioned, Lucy is in love with this bear. “Suzy” now goes everywhere with her. (Suzy is what she named the Mama bear.) And when Suzy isn’t in Lucy’s arms, “Peanut” – the baby bear – is in the sling which is tied around Lucy. You see, Lucy didn’t want just Suzy to have all the fun wearing the baby bear. She wants to wear Peanut around her chest, too. The wrap is so soft, and with a little creativity, we’re able to get it on Lucy so that she can carry Peanut around with her wherever she goes – much like I do with Parker.

Come Shop With WhoIsBaby – Firstly, I really like the two colors coordination that made up the Organic Sleepy Bear. Its colors are neutral and suitable for boys and girls. The stuff animal is made of 100% softest organic cotton. This eco-friendly teddy is just the right size for my son’s age, not too small to give a big hug to. Most importantly, there is no loose material that was used in making this Organic Sleepy Bear. The eyes, nose and mouth are made of soft stitching and there is no buttons or snaps. It is the safest stuff animal you can give to your children without worrying they may accidentally choke on any removable parts. I think every child would love to be the owner of this bear.

Mom Most Traveled – Not only is the little teddy sling organic, the entire toy is 100% organic and has stitched-on features, making it devoid of choking hazards.

Besides the cuteness, I think the ability to take the baby bear in and out of Sleepy Bear’s sling is what makes this toy engaging.

Happy Healthy Families – So when Sleepy Bear arrived at our house, my kids had to wait for MOM to snuggle with this adorable toy first, and of course unwrap and re-wrap the baby bear, hehe. But then I played fair and shared. The boys, being boys, I assumed might lose interest quickly. But to my surprise, my five year old especially loves Sleepy Bear.

Moody Mama Says – The Sleepy Bear is safe for babies because there are no removable parts. The eyes, nose, and mouth are all sewn on so that curious little hands will have nothing to pull off. The Sleepy Bear is also 100% organic. It is wearing the Sleepy Wrap Organic Khaki Wrap which is available in the full size for mom’s here.

Blog Mania – The Sleepy Bear is designed to teach small children about baby-wearing. It is an excellent toy for a todder / preschooler who is already or is soon to be a new big brother or big sister. It presents the concept of mom caring for another child through play.

Sewing Mom – I love the way she is carrying her little baby bear in an all organic Sleepy Wrap, snuggled up so close for safety and security! Both bears are so super soft, made from 100% organic cotton and there are no parts to pop of that could pose potential choking hazards to our little ones. The eyes, nose and mouth are all stitched on for safe play. There is nothing that could be pulled off and put into little mouths. This wonderful little bear is perfect for play and for snuggle time.

Sassy Frazz -It is an adorable stuffed animal, and I love that it promotes baby wearing. The Sleepy Bear is the first stuffed toy to promote babywearing! Plus, I love that this bear is safe with material it is made and filled with. I don’t have to worry about my youngest getting his hands on a choking hazard while playing with the Sleepy Bear either, because it isn’t made with any buttons or snaps. The Sleepy Bear’s eyes, nose, and mouth are all stitched on so that my baby’s little hands won’t have anything to pull off. That is reassuring!

Red Sox Mom -This soft and cuddly bear not only is the first stuffed toy I’ve seen to promote baby wearing, but it’s 100% organic and has no small, removable parts that could be chocking hazards. The mouth, nose and eyes are all stitched on.

Crunchy Green Mom – The Sleep Bear is the first stuffed toy that promotes Babywearing. The bears, the wrap are all organic and can be purchased for a real Mommy (or toddler).

Rockin Mama -The “mama” bear has her “baby” wrapped in a Sleepy Wrap. Not only is it soft and eco-friendly, it’s a great way to introduce my son to this concept. I’ve started talking to my son about how mommies wear or carry their babies close to them. I also told him that when he was a baby, I wore him close to me, just like the mama bear is wearing her baby bear. He’s still too young to actually “wrap” the baby bear himself, but the foundation is being laid. My hope is that his exposure to babywearing (via the bear), will help prepare him for the time when baby number 2 arrives and he or she is carried close to me. I want to help my son adjust and avoid jealousy and I think this toy is an excellent way to teach my son the concept of babywearing.

Jo Jo’s Place -One of the hottest ways to wear your baby is to use the Sleepy Wrap. I have had to opportunity to try them out and just love it!

Now your little one can have his or her very own Sleepy Bear that happens to be 100% organic.

One House School Room Reviews - My daughter fell in love immediately. She has often created baby wraps for her baby dolls out of blanket and playsilks we have around the house, but now she has a friend with a “real” baby wrap! How exciting! Sleepy Bear is 100% Organic and has no removable parts that could be potential choking hazards. That makes Sleepy Bear a great toy for all children- and a great way to introduce babywearing to curious little ones.

As They Grow Up – My son immediately had to play with this bear upon its arrival to our home. Even as I type this review out he is quietly on the other couch playing with this set. I love how easy it is to take the baby bear in and out of the carrier. It is a fantastic educational toy that is designed to help teach small children about baby wearing.

She Scribes – I think the Sleepy Bear would be the perfect gift for a young child who is about to become a big brother or big sister. It teaches children about how mommies wrap their babies in slings to hold them close to their bodies to keep them safe and warm.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

First of all, I have to confess that this DVD is not only my kids’ current favourite, it’s mine too! When we were first asked to review the Life Science DVD from Rock ‘N Learn, I was confident that my 9 year old son would enjoy it as he loves Science. Not only was I right, even my 5 year old daughter was fascinated by the DVD. My kids constantly come to me telling me what they had learnt from Marko the Pencil and his friend Bailey. One day, I may be hearing about what Photosynthesis (big word for a 5 year old!) is all about and the next, they will be explaining to me about plant cells. As a parent, that’s really amazing as the DVD is meant for “Grades 5 and Up” but my younger kids are able to enjoy it and best of all,  able to absorb the topics that are being taught.

The Life Science DVD is about an hour long and includes the following:

•  Plants and Photosynthesis
•  Parts of a Plant
•  Life Cycle of a Butterfly
•  Groups of Animals and Animal Characteristics
•  Plant and Animal Cells
•  Food Chains & Food Webs
•  Ecosystems
• Genetic Traits and Adaptations

As  a parent, I find this DVD visually pleasing in terms of color and animation, which is very important to retain the attention of younger kids. The characters in the DVDs are fun and entertaining, while the music makes the content easier for the kids to remember. The practice tests are definitely a bonus as they reinforce the topics taught on the DVD. As for the opinions of my kids, they’re watching Life Science over and over and over again. Need I say more?

BUY IT :  You can purchase Life Science from Rock ‘N Learn’s online store or find a store nearest to you. Besides this title, Rock ‘N Learn has a variety of other educational DVDs as well as audio CDs for fun learning. You cannot go wrong with their fun educational programs which have received numerous awards from Dr.Toy, Parent’s Choice, The National Parenting Center and more.

WIN IT : We’re giving away a Rock ‘N Learn DVD to three lucky readers. The three DVDs to choose from are Life Science, Multiplication Rap and Division Rap. To enter to win, here’s what you need to do:

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Finally! The much waited Don’t Bite Me! Patch arrived at our doorstep and I quickly read through the literature (which was quite an interesting read). It is completely kid-safe and does not contain any DEET or toxins! Isn’t that amazing? For the whole of my adult life, whenever I comb the chemist’s aisles for a mosquito repellent, it would always always contains DEET. The Don’t Bite Me! Patch contains only natural ingredients, and that’s why it’s safe for kids. Not only that, it was purported to be waterproof!

Is that amazing or what? But does it work?

Here’s the crunch. Yes! My kids and I love the outdoors. Well, mostly my kids. I just tag along. Kids + Outdoors = Bites. Trust me. All the time. So, I slapped on one patch each on each kid…and went out for a very long and tiring play, in one of our wonderful reserves.

I got home, wondering if they would be scratching their itch, but I could not find a single bite on them. Now..that is fantastic!

You can also check out Elina’s review of the patch posted on our sister site.

About Don’t Bite Me! Patch’s creators :

The “Don’t Bite Me! Patch” is operated in Houston, TX, where insects are a huge problem. The owners of the company are not chemists, just parents who wanted to make a difference. “We stumbled onto a similar product on the internet, but discovered that it needed some improvements and had some legal liability issues. We then decided to go forward with our own patch and make the improvements needed. The result is the “Don’t Bite Me! Patch!”, says Chari Kauffman. “The effectiveness of the product and its ability to help so many people worldwide is what has made us so passionate about our product. We are driven to make this product available worldwide.

BUY IT! : Here’s a video clip that teaches how to apply this :

WIN IT! : The generous sponsor is giving away a pack of 20 patches to 3 lucky readers! Here are the rules :

A couple of weeks back, I had the wonderful opportunity of meeting Trebellina and Friends, via DVD. I admitted, initially I was a little skeptical about this DVD, as I wasn’t so sure if my kids would be captivated by Trebellina.

But, guess what? My kids were enthralled by these guys, and till today, they still insist on playing it. Despite the countless of times, they’ve seen it, they never seem to be bored by it. They love singing together with Trebellina and Friends, and they love it when they start teaching all the various musical instruments.

About Trebellina and Friends

The Trebellina DVD occupies a special place in a modern baby’s musical development.  Trebellina fills the gap between the mommy-and-me music classes currently offered to young children and the formal music lessons that young children typically wait years before they can begin.   Trebellina also helps round out the musical experience for young children who study Suzuki through its emphasis on reading written music. Moreover, with Trebellina, parents jumpstart their children’s music education at a fraction of the cost of just one typical music lesson!

Some very lucky reviewers were given the opportunity to review Trebellina and Friends, and here’s what they have to say:

As They Grow Up – When we first received Trebellina, I wasn’t sure how my son would feel about it. He watches a little television, but not alot. It always looses his attention. From the time I started this wonderful DVD, his eyes never left the screen. He feel in love with Trebellina, Mr. Bassy and Da Notes right away. Oops, I almost forgot Rythmo. He is just as important as all the others.

Home School Blogger – The combination of familiar music, fun toys, and small children are enough to hold any child’s interest.  While the rest of us viewed this dvd as boring and redundant, Ian was (and is) mesmerized by it.  He calls it the “plano moomie” (translation: piano movie) and asks for it over and over again.

Contests and Giveaways – All in all, this is a really cute and fun DVD. Kids will enjoy the music, parents will enjoy the thought that it is teaching their kids music. We will continue to have her watch this as she gets older, and I think it will help her read music along the way-at least she’ll have fun!

Babies Gotta Have It – Without becoming too complex, the video sets out to introduce the treble staff, the notes on the staff, and the letter names of those notes.  It then goes on to show in a very clever way how those written notes correspond to notes on the piano.  In between the introduction of the notes, several instruments are introduced, accompanied by a brief sample of the sounds that they make. There is also a segment in which the little purple tornado-shaped character, Rhythmo, urges kids to get up and dance while counting 1-2-3-4 to the music.  The soundtrack is simple but effective–basic melodies (some of which I recognized) played on real instruments, not synthesizers.

5 Vinez Monkeys – The first time I put Trebellina in, none of the kids moved. They were completely enthralled. Then, the next thing I knew, they were up dancing in front of the tv and singing right along. We’ve watched it a dozen times in the last week and Lucy still stands right in front of the tv, laughing, dancing, and singing right along. She can now name the instruments, say all of the notes in order, counts rhythm, and can even sing most of the notes completely on key! I’m amazed at what she has learned in the short time we’ve had Trebellina.

Lotsa Cheeks – The DVD captivated them for a good mere 20 minutes (the DVD is about 30 minutes long). I thought to myself, “Oh no! They are not interested in this DVD. I will have to find another method to teach them music.” Needless to say I was quite disappointed. But my disappointment dissipates the next day. My three year old (who insists she is four) was playing in a corner with her toy instruments and started to name out each one of them. She had never done that before. Imagine the joy! It was like hearing Christmas bells in the air.

Ember Patch – For the past month E has been wearing out the DVD player. She got a few new DVD’s and by far her favorite has been Trebellina. She has watched it so many times that I personally am sick of it. Despite my annoyance at having to watch the same DVD’s over and over, the DVD is a great learning tool. She is actually learning a little music.

Mom Most Travelled – I hope that one day Jojo will play the violin, like I did when I was 6. I think Trebellina (a cartoon treble clef), Rock Bassey (bass clef, of course) and Rhythmo (a curly thingy) will help pave the way for Jojo to be a successful music student as they equip him with valuable musical theory long before he ever takes a formal lesson.

Sassy Frazz – My kids liked singing (matching the note) with Trebellina. My kids liked this DVD and request watching it. I think it is an easy way to introduce the basics at an early age. The graphics aren’t high quality, but the lessons and teachings are of great quality.

Mom Start – It’s not a miracle teaching device. There is no miracle teaching device in my opinion. Teaching your children takes work from the parent and the ability from your child to pay attention. All children learn differently. I do believe though you can teach toddlers at a very young age how to play the piano, how to sing, or even how to read. The Trebellina DVD even tells you that you should reinforce this learning with sheet music, singing, or your own musical instrument. We’re learning with our own keyboard with the help of Trebellina, C D E F G A B.

Makiko – One time, we watched the DVD with Matt’s cousin Ryx and his mom (an elementary student teacher). My SIL, Ryx’s mom, said that the lessons from the Trebellina DVD are the same lessons they teach in their music class. It’s just amazing. So my final say: As a mom, I believe Trebellina is the perfect choice in introducing musical concepts, not only to my kid, but to babies and toddlers. And can I just add (in a whisper), I’m telling you I’m also learning from it. *wink*

De Moments – I had a chance to sit down in front of the TV and watch how it introduce different types of musical instruments, it’s sound, simple introduction of the piano key and notes. There are even some common and catchy children tunes like Old Mac Donald and Row Row Row A Boat which QQ can sing together and roughly gets an idea on how the tune is being played on a piano through the video shown.

The Mom Buzz – The images and video are simple. But overall it’s a great way of introducing musical concepts to little ones. Trebellina has won many awards and accolades from “noteworthy” organizations, including Dr. Toy, iParenting Media, Aegis, Dove and The National Parenting Center. Plus, my 2 year old LOVED it. He asks for the DVD by name! And he follows along with the notes, repeating them.

Ponderings From My Heart – My son is 4 and he was so excited to watch the DVD as soon as it came in the mail. Amazingly enough, the DVD actually kept his attention throughout the entire running time of the movie! Trebellina introduced him to a variety of different instruments, rhythm, as well as tones and pitch. The part that I found to be most fantastic, was that my son was interacting with the characters in the DVD by repeating different letters of the notes aloud as well as counting aloud along with the DVD.

Quiver Full Family – The child approval rating for the disc runs high in our home. All of our children from age six down to our ten-month-old baby are fascinated by the bright, fun-filled antics of Trebellina. They are learning the names of a variety of instruments, singing note names along with Trebellina, dancing to the live action sequences, and clapping along with Rhythmo. I might be imagining things, but I believe I heard our wee baby sing “F” after I echoed Trebellina’s introduction to the note.

Crumley Blog – I popped the DVD in and watched Fuller watch the DVD. Fuller seemed interested and watched almost the entire 32 minutes. What I saw of the DVD was reminiscent of a Baby Einstein DVD and kind of hokey. But then again, Baby Einstein is hokey and we had plenty of Baby Einstein when Fuller was smaller, so I don’t view hokey as a reason to dislike Trebellina. Just consider it a warning to parents: hokey DVD interesting and captivating to the four year old, Mom was rolling her eyes.

One House School Room Reviews – I was so impressed with this DVD from the start to the end. Within minutes of the beginning, both of my children were singing the scale and beating out rhythms on the couch. The DVD kept the attention of both my preschooler, my 1st grader, and our 2 year old niece.

Crunchy Green Mom – I got the Trebellina DVD in the mail the other day and popped it into the player when I wanted to get some magazines out of my pile. I did not even get halfway through the video before I realized that I was watching it just as intently as my daughters were.

Julian and Morin’s Photoblog – Trebellina is revolutionary music teaching series for children as young as one year old. When we first played the DVD, Raelynne including her brother Raelan was glued to the TV. Trebellina designed the music learning as easy as possible for kids. In fact, for me who have less interest in musical notes and instruments find it easy to understand. Maybe because its visually enriching.

Moomette’s Magnificents Reviews - Already I can tell that ‘Lil Moomette, who’s 2-1/2 has inherited some musical talent!  It’s so fun to watch her reaction and interpretation when she hears a sound that’s pleasing or unusual to her!  Every day is an adventure when she’s learning something new & Trebellina makes it so enjoyable, both for the kids, parents and grandparents!

Sassy Irish Lassie – Initially he liked trying to mimic Trebellina singing the notes. Trebellina would say the name of the note and then demonstrate it by singing it. Sounds simple enough. Then they introduce two of the other characters as well a variety of musical instruments. Sadly, after about 10 minutes of the program, my son lost interest and walked out of the room.  I tried a few day later to get him to watch it again to no avail. 

The Mud Bug -My 5yo loved it more then my 4yo did. I keep the DVD in our minivan. I figured that if I wanted them to learn anything make them sit still. An impossible feat at home. My 5yo asks for it all time. She says ‘Can we want the trebel movie?’. So cute. I would say that Trebellina is a big hit in my house as far as the girls are concerned and that I am happy with. I do have to say that the music can be a bit tinny at times but otherwise I would label Trebellina as a definite purchase for your kids. 

Mom On The Rise -  My daughter has always liked music, a preference that she inherits from me. I play piano by ear and while I also read music, I have always believe that learning the notes was the most difficult part of learning the piano. However, Trebellina tries to teach the notes of the treble cliff as well as attempting to teach pitch. Each note sings its name and my daughter sings in reply. for her, Trebellina is a fun way to sing and make noise.

The winner for our February Email Subscriber Draw is Holly Norris who has chosen the Neutral Gender Countdown Boxes.

For the month of March 2009, we are excited to have Huggies PULL-UPS® as our sponsor. There will be TWO prizes meant for our email subscribers only – a six-month supply (6 packages) of Pull-Ups and wipes each! wOOt!

To add to the fun, we will give you three additional chances of winning for this month. All you need to do is blog about  a comical story (which may have happened to you, a friend, or a family member) during a child’s potty training journey and link back to this post. Then, leave your post url in our comment section here. Please make sure that you are an email subscriber to be eligible for this as we will be checking your email add against our list of subscribers.

I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce to you, The Potty Dance, an interactive song and dance, by PULL-UPS®. This fun, instructional video helps both you and your child by adding a cute spin to the moments when Mother Nature calls. Here’s a look at some cute potty dancing moves:

In conjunction with the Potty Dance, PULL-UPS® is having a Sweepstake where you can win a $5,000 Big Kid Room Makeover! Yes, that’s a whopping FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS! All you need to do is show off your little one’s cute, cool, and even crazy Potty Dance moves in a video.

Check out the info for the contest here:

1. Potty Dance Video Official Contest Page
2. Official Rules Page

Please note that shipping for our email subscriber prizes for this month is limited to US shipping addresses only. We will be accepting stories until the last day of this month.

Good luck and Have Fun!

I know many of our reviewers as well as readers are  fans of the Sleepy Wrap baby sling. So, I’m posting this to let you all know that we’ve got a Coupon Code for 10% off on our right side bar

No need to thank me *grins* Just head over to www.sleepywrap.com and get yourself that wonderful baby sling.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

My son (three years old almost four) is my “little fashionista” – he loves to try and look like Daddy (who also is a bit of a fashion plate) and especially loves his accessories. Sunglasses fall pretty high on his list and the ones that they sell for kids do not interest him much mostly because they don’t look like Daddy’s (cool guy) sunglasses. So he and I both were thrilled to find out about a company called Baby Banz, Inc. Baby Banz makes super cool (and not “cutesy”) sunglasses for kids (and babies) that come in all shapes and colors. Right now my son is walking around the house is black Ski Banz (and yes, they really look like the sunglasses that skiers use!) and talking about how “cool” he looks. The Ski Banz are made for the slopes and feature wide vision (polycarbonate) lenses with smooth soft nylon foam padding along with an adjustable strap and is strong and comfy. They are also 100% UVA and UVB protective so you can be sure those little eyes are protected!

The other pair of sunglasses we have are called Kidz Banz and are more of your “everyday” style glasses. My son is very happy with these because again, they look just like Daddy’s sunglasses! The Kidz Banz and like the Ski Banz feature polycarbonate lenses and an adjustable (Velcro) strap for the head. My son keeps his sunglasses on normally but I think that little ones would be more apt to like the comfy strap better than the usual plastic over the ears setup.

BUY IT : Needless to say, I am absolutely THRILLED with my new Banz! They are available for Kids (2-5) and even Babies (0-2). They are awesome quality and you can be sure that I will be telling my friends! You can get your very own Baby Banz by checking out the website at www.babybanz.com!

WIN IT : We are giving away a set of Baby Banz Sun Hat and Sunglasses Combo, which comes with a pool ready PVC bag for the little tot who’s always on the go. To participate, here are the requirements:

• Visit Baby Banz and choose your size (0-2) and colour
• Three additional entries if you have our Mega Xmas & New Year Giveaway Bash button up on your blog. You can grab the button from our sidebar AND/OR
• Three additional entries if you Stumble this post with a review AND/OR
• Three additional entries if you subscribe to Parent Reviewers 
• If you qualify for additional entries, please comment separately and let us know which option you’ve used.
• Contest is open to US shipping addresses only
• Contest closes on 11th December and one winner will be randomly picked using the Random.org number generator.

CHECK OUT OUR MEGA XMAS & NEW YEAR GIVEAWAY KICK OFF TO WIN 6 AWESOME PRIZES!