Anyone that has read my personal blog knows that I love handmade items from Etsy. I think it’s amazing what kind of absolute talent is out there and I have a good time shopping and supporting fellow Mama’s out there.

One store I was thrilled about is called Bealoo which carries beautiful art pieces that are perfect for your child’s room. The baby shower gift for my friend recently included one of Bealoo’s beautiful canvas growth charts – the one featuring fairies of course! The chart is made with superior Giclee technology using 100% cotton canvas, pigmented inks, and a superior protective coating. The growth chart hangs 2 feet from the ground and is finished with grommets and matching ribbon. Believe me – it’s BEAUTIFUL!! Not to mention incredibly well made – it was a hit with the Mama-to-Be!

The prints and canvas wall art are gorgeous also. I picked up a fairy one (for me, lol) and a train and truck one for my son. He loves his pictures and they add a nice splash of color to his white (rented) walls. They are wonderful and I am truly impressed with them. The prices at Bealoo make it easy to afford creative art for your kids’ rooms.

WIN IT : Of course, Parent Reviewers wants you to be able to get something from Bealoo for free (because you know, we rock that way) – so we’re having an awesome giveaway for TWO original 8×10″ Art Prints in an 11×14″ white mat from Bealoo! This contest is open to everyone – so get going and enter! You don’t want to miss this one!

To enter for this giveaway, here’s what you need to do:

• Visit www.bealoo.etsy.com and then let us know in our comment section what is your favourite product from the site.
• Three additional entries if you stumble this post with a review AND/OR
• Three additional entries if you subscribe to Parent Reviewers AND/OR
• Three additional entries if you place our button  on your blog!
• If you qualify for additional entries, please comment separately and let us know which option you’ve used.
• Giveaway closes on  26th November 2008. Winners will be drawn using the Random.org number generator.

WHILE YOU ARE HERE, DON’T LEAVE WITHOUT CHECKING OUR MEGA XMAS & NEW YEAR GIVEAWAY KICK OFF WITH 6 AWESOME PRIZES TO BE WON!!!

Kobold Toys, founded by moms Ana Eiras and Carmina Valdizan, is an exclusive toy store with a difference. Like many similar stores, the toys available are manufatured under the highest standard of safety and quality while ensuring that the products are conducive to a child’s emotional, physical and mental development. However, what makes Kobold Toys stand out from their competitors is the global flavour of toys. This is made possible because both founders travel around the world each year in search of the best available toys in today’s global market.

It was a priviledge for us to partner with Kobold Toys to review a few of their products which are targetted at children of different age groups. Our Parent Reviewers tried and tested the Green Science Windmill Generator and Design Girls Fashion Studio which are ideal for kids of age 7 to 11.

Here’s the feedback from our reviewers:

Green Science Windmill Generator

Pookie and The Boys - Overall I was thrilled with the quick assembly. I am not one for patience when working with directions and impatient little ones. The pieces fit together like they were supposed to without any extra effort. We were a little sad it took so much wind to make the fan blade turn, but even the slightest glimpse of the LED turning red brought a smile to my son’s face.

Freaky Frugalite - Overall, it was OK. The fan was stiff and didn’t spin with any kind of natural breeze– we had to turn on our box fan to get it to go. The LED did light up. It’s a great toy for showing your child how things work, and to introduce him to science and energy. It’s a great “side” project, but not a very good main project. I recommend this toy for children between the ages of 10 (with an adult) to 15.

Reviews By Heidi - This was definitely a fun project. When 2 non-science people give it TWO THUMBS UP, you know this company has succeeded! I would definitely recommend this Windmill Generator project and will be looking into more Green Science kits to make science fun and come to life!

Design Girls Fashion Studio

Momma Findings - Although this is recommended for ages 7 and up, my 5 year old daughter enjoyed playing with it and had no trouble cutting, gluing, and dressing up each doll. I was impressed that there was an abundance of fabric and accessories to choose from and it can all be kept in the handy vinyl carrying case. It helps out during clean up time, that’s for sure.

The Dirty Shirt - My daughter absolutely loved this product. She came up with so many different items, each one getting more and more glittery. The fact that it came with all the “fun fabrics” as she called them is a huge plus. And she even told me it was so much fun that she wanted to be a clothing designer when she grows up. So if she does I will know who to look back on and credit her success! I even jumped in and my doll a funky little outfit.

My Trendy Tykes - We had a blast making clothing for our dolls. It was so simple. All you do is trace your clothing design out using the special patterns. Then you decorate the article of clothing with various sequins and trims and attach it to your doll with magnets that are also included in the kit.

I must say that when we were done our dolls were definitely dressed to the nines!

Another group of our Parent Reviewers had the opportunity to review two different toys recommended for age 1-3. First, was the cute green Dancing Alligator and then, the brightly colored Magnetic Wooden Building Blocks. Check out their reviews:

Dancing Alligator

Crunchy Green Lovin’ Mom -  It is a sturdy rubberwood and wheels that are made to last, knowing that little ones will put their toys through years of torment. When you pull Mr. Alligator across the floor he lumps and bumps along, making a silly movement and a wonderful clacking sound that seems to have every little kid in the room following him as if he were alive.

Amanda - Dancing Alligator is just adorable! We received this fun pull toy and Sarah has had so much fun playing with it. She loves listening to the fun click-clack sound and of course finds it funny to chase her sister with it.

Magnetic Wooden Building Blocks

Mommy Brain Reports - My likes as a mommy are:

1. The bright colors and large size of the blocks make them fun and easy to play with.

2. The magnets are completely enclosed in the block, so there’s no hazard of them falling out, and being put in their mouth or swallowed.

3. The blocks aren’t heavy, so they’re easy for even the little ones to play with.

4. The magnets help make stacking a little bit easier!

Life From My Laptop - Well, regardless of HOW they work, the fact is that magnets are fun to play with no matter what your age.  The Kobold Toys Magnetic blocks are just as fun.  With their bright colors and shapes they can entertain your tot for hours.  Stacking, linking, making trains or towers, they provide a great opportunity for hands on play for your child.

All of us at Parent Reviewers, have a soft spot for parentpreneurs because most of the time, their online stores feature some of the coolest as well as safest products ideal for the kids or even the whole family. So, let me introduce another great site, NMC Toys , which was developed by parents of two small children in 2007.

Here’s an excerpt from “About NMC Toys” taken from their website:

There was much news regarding the quality and safety of toys produced in China during the summer of 2007. We walked through the toy department of big box retailers and could not find a toy produced outside of China. Gone were the wooden blocks, dolls and wooden trains we played with as children. These toys were replaced with cheap plastic toys that had character ties to movies and cereals. We then turned to the internet and were frustrated by the lack of alternatives and lack of country of origin information. We experienced first hand the frustration and angst associated with taking away our child’s favorite toy that was recalled and we routinely threw away toys within a few days or weeks of purchase due to poor quality. These experiences led to the development of NMCtoys.com.

We are proud to partner with a company whose mission is to provide quality toys that can stimulate and challenge a child’s mind, foster a child’s imagination, improve their motor skills and above all,  able to bolster their self-esteem.

A couple of weeks ago, our reviewers were sent the Holgate Baby Blocks to test out. These made in USA blocks are great for teaching your baby about organizing, balancing and stacking, to develop hand-eye coordination as well as help build fine-motor skills.

Each set comes crafted from Hard Maple wood and contains 6 blocks. Cute colourful pictures of animals, alphabets, numbers and other graphics are presented on each side of the blocks and provides a creative way to introduce infant of age 1 and above to colors, letters, and fun drawings. What I especially like is the smooth rounded edges of the blocks which makes it safe for young infant. Blocks also have a long lasting appeal as many kids will happily play with them from baby to the toddler years. Thus, making it a worthy investment.

Here’s a look at what our parent reviewers had to say about The Holgate Baby Blocks:

Just A Mom’s Take On Things - Since that first day, she’s played with this set many times – either on her own or with me. I love how simple the letters and pictures are – they’re easy to see and for her to identify. We can talk about the animal faces – and what each animal ‘says’, which letter is which, and I love quizzing her on her colors with these blocks. There are only six blocks – but somehow they provide much more entertainment and educational value than other larger sets that we own or she’s played with elsewhere. Plus, I can bring these blocks with us when we go out and about – with only six of them to keep track of, it’s much less stressful for me and a lot of fun for her.

Come Shop With WhoIsBaby - Beside being an educational toy, a child can stack up these 6 blocks and be as creative as one could. My son likes this activity - stacking the blocks. He is very imaginative as well. He would stack a different shape every time and tell me it is “Disneyland” or “Marukai” or “Mall” or “Grandma’s house” and so on.

Sassy Frazz - I am really impressed with how these blocks were designed. The blocks have great, colorful graphics on each of the six sides. I can easily introduce colors, shapes, and letters to my kids with the Holgate Baby Blocks!

Babies Gotta Have It - I love these blocks for so many reasons!  All the components of the blocks are made in the U.S.A. They exceed all U.S. safety standards, are decorated with non-toxic paint, and they come from my home state of Pennsylvania.  Secondly, I like playing with them–they are smooth, solid, and have that wonderful depth that only wooden toys have (see video).  Third, the Holgate Toy Company has been around for 200 years, producing heirloom quality wooden toys.  They are everything an American toy company should be.

Miche Reviews - Blocks are truly a parent’s best friend and a child’s greatest learning tool, and my favorite blocks are Holgate Baby Blocks. They are made of sound wood, the beautiful brightly colored images don’t chip off after rough use (trust me, if my two year old can’t scratch or eat the images off, nothing can), and best of all, THEY ARE MADE IN AMERICA. Yes, you can heave a big sigh of relief when your child does decide to try licking the blocks because everything is safe, non toxic and made to last for your kid’s grandkids to use. I am in love with the blocks and have already ordered more to give as gifts.

Lisa Reviews - Will likes to stack two of them on top of one another and then knock them over and go “oh oh”.  What surprised me with these blocks is that Madison loves them just as much.  She builds a big tower with them and has Will knock it over.  She also likes the letters on them too. She tells me the letter, and we discuss all of the words that start with that letter that she can think of.  These blocks are a great toy for both of my kids, and I would highly recommend them.

Shake The Salt - We have had a lot of fun playing with the blocks… stacking, lining them up, talking about the letters, numbers, and animals.  They are well made - very solid without being heavy and is made from a renewable wood source. 

Lille Punkin’ Reviews - Holgate Baby Blocks from NMC Toys were the perfect size for my eager 20-month old. He stacked them easily, knocked them down, and started again. They were basic in their design (bright colors, familiar pictures) but there were a few things that really stood out…

The Dirty Shirt - I recently had the opportunity to review a set of Holgate Baby Blocks from NMC Toys and let me just tell you that after giving them to my 15 month old she was so enthralled by them that she sat in one spot and played with them for over half an hour. She absolutly loved these blocks.

Mogul Baby - They are recommended for age one, but I think a two-year-old would be interested in playing with them too. There are six wooden blocks decorated with letters, numbers and cute graphics. Your little one can create three letter words or just drool over them.

A Wrestling Addicted Mommy - I thought of them more for my 2 year old if anything, but my 5 year old also enjoyed them. They both loved the colorful wooden blocks and all they could do with them, it was quite surprising to see that something so simple could give so much enjoyment even to those kids who aren’t ‘babies’ anymore.

All Because Two People Fell In Love - My little one has had tons of fun playing with these blocks!! She has enjoyed stacking them, lining them up, sorting them and identifying the letters, numbers, and animals on each of the blocks. The blocks offer simple drawings that make it easier for the little ones to identify. They kept her entertained on a long car trip by telling her brother what each block had on them. The blocks are very well made! They feel very solid without being too heavy for little hands. The best part about the blocks is that they are made from a renewable wood source.

Mom 2 BB Reviews - The rounded edges of the blocks received a two thumbs up from me as a great safety feature for babies. There are numerous ways to play with these blocks but for the younger babies, you can start off by stacking them up towerlike and letting your baby knock them down.  My 18 months old niece had a blast with these blocks as she was already able to sort them by colors. We have also started teaching her to recognize some of the pictures and when she grows older, we will use these blocks to teach her simple three letter words.

Cutie Booty Reviews - I highly recommend this toy. It reminds me of toys of yesteryear that did not have all the bells and whistles. Simple learning toys that require your child to use their imagination. If your child is from one to three I think she will enjoy learning and playing with the blocks as much as Mekhi does.

The Domestic Diva - Since introducing Holgate Baby Blocks to my little one in our home, I’ve seen the joy that simple block toys can bring on a child’s face. There are days where my son will just sit in the floor and play for hours with these blocks even though they don’t make any noise or flash any lights. The joy of stacking and knocking over the blocks is enough to satisfy him.

Happily Ever After -  Tyler has gotten better at his hand-eye-coordination, and these blocks are perfect to help him develop his motor skills. I have a number of other stacking toys, but this is the first set that I came across that were wooden - LOVE that! Even though they were wooden, they had soft edges to them, so I wasn’t worried about Tyler hurting himself with them. The blocks were nice and solid, and compared to other wooden toys that we have, they held up quite well to Tyler’s banging them on things. We’ve had other wooden toys that chipped and needed to be thrown away.

By: PH. Hanson
ISBN: 0761147675
ISBN13: 9780761147671

We waited in anticipation for the arrival of My Mommy’s Tote : For my 4 year old daughter, she was excited as she will soon have a “handbag” to tot around and for me, I’ll no longer have a kid rummaging through my bag and making a mess of my personal belongings*grins*

We were not disappointed as My Mommy’s Tote comes stuffed with more than 75 objects such as a key ring, photo, credit card, cell phone, planner, clock with hands, a real hanky and more. My girl had a ball playing pretend and imitating me in action on the removable fake laptop! Another of her favourite item was the erasable board that she could doodle with. Overall, this delightful book can provide up to 30 different activities to entertain your child.

This interactive die cut book is great to keep any child entertained during rainy days or during those long road trips. My only regret is that it is not appropriate to bring along during flights as it is a bit on the heavy side. Even though My Mommy’s Tote is shaped like a bag, please note that it is afterall, still a book and like all books, are easily torn. Thus, I would highly recommend it for ages 3 and up only.

BUY IT : My Mommy’s Tote is available for purchase from Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Powell’s Books as well as IndieBound.

Check out what our Parent Reviewers had to say about My Mommy’s Tote:

Jojo’s Place - We love My Mommy’s Tote!  It’s a great book for your little one.  It will definitely keep them busy.  A must have for the car as well as those times that you have to wait or just a great addition to your children’s other books.

Quiver Full Family - Our family spends a lot of time on the road, as we live in the country. This is the perfect traveling companion for a child, ages 5–10. Instead of handing your child your own purse to wreak chaos in during nerve-wracking repetitions of, “Are we there yet?” this unique book will satisfy antsy fingers and curious minds.

Cheeks To Cheeks - Belle absolute adored the tote. She kept asking me to read to her as the tote has some written words on it. She kept asking “what’s this and what’s that.” I guess in a child’s eyes, this tote is like a treasure bag with tons of goodies in it. There was once upon seeing me slinging my (real) tote onto the shoulder she wanted to take her tote along too. It was a funny sight!

Momma’s Findings - It is, indeed, a book, but it’s in the shaped of “tote”. With each turn of the page you find “something” Momma would carry in her own tote. I laughed quite a bit because it even included a laptop, something essential to us bloggers.

Moommettesgram’s Musings - My Mommy’s Tote is also a great activity toy for home schoolers or as a special activity toy for Grandparents to keep around when the grandchildren come to visit.

Mom On The Rise - Not only does the book allow her to feel like a big girl, there is so much in there for parents to use as learning tools. Most of the contents of the tote are clearly labled and brightly colored for identification. Don’t forget, the Tote is actually a Book too. As you can see, she loves this book. She likes being able to draw and erase in a book without hearing me scream, “NOOOOOOOOOOOO” and  I feel better because hse can associate reading with writing. My Mommy’s Tote earns 2 thumbs up from this mom and her little girl.

Mom Most Traveled - In all, I think My Mommy’s Tote is artfully and humorously done. My Mommy’s Tote is a good pick for car trips or other times when you need your child to be quietly engaged in an activity, such as during religious services or doctor’s waiting rooms.

Come Shop With WhoIsBaby - This hardboard book is definitely more fun that the real Mommy’s purse. It has so many accessories, activities, stories, flips and more. My son loves the removable ‘fake’ laptop and the credit card that came with the book. Those are the first things he took out from the purse. With the laptop, he pretends to be ‘just like Mommy’ working on the laptop and typing with his little fingers on the keyboard. With the credit card, he pretends ‘just like Mommy’ and swipes it between the kitchen cabinet doors. It was too funny to describe.

Sweet N Sassy Girls - The following Sunday we took it to church and I couldn’t wait to pull it out for her to play with. I gave it to her, and she looked through it for about 1 minute, and decided she was done. I was shocked, because I was sure she would like it. There were plenty of flaps for her to lift up, but she could care less. I pulled out the laptop and she looked at it, felt it, and decided she was done. Well, that didn’t go like I expected.

My Two Girls - What the girls like most about this book is the detachable computer. They both ‘fight’ for it, and claimed is theirs. They will take it out and pretend to type on it, and ‘read’ the display on the screen. They also like carrying the tote around pretending they are going out. Zara loves the white board which she can doodle on and also the picture of mommy dancing with a girl; she said that’s the two of us doing some silly dance.

Cowgirl Critiques - It’s all packed in hard book type bounding.  Everything stays inside the tote with no problem.  The colors are vivid making it eye appealing to the little one.  You might think that “mommy’s tote” would be directed towards girls but get that out of your head.  Once the tote is open, there are endless surprises that any boy or girl would love to play with.

One of the biggest bonus of buying toys is being able to purchase those that works for both my kids and at the same time discover that they are eco friendly. With natural made toys, I can educate my children on the concept of Going Green as well as promote a safe, yet educational alternative to playtime. No more worrying about toxic toys or product recalls! Therefore, ImagiPLAY’s Toys With Integrity have always remain on the top of my shopping list when it comes to buying gifts for children of close friends and families. 

About ImagiPLAY (excerpt from Press Release):

ImagiPLAY products have been recognized for their outstanding quality, design and ability to inspire imagination by the media, children’s advocacy groups and parents’ organizations. It has received awards from Parenting Magazine, Creative Child Magazine, Dr.Toy, Parents’ Choice Foundation and many other well-respected groups. But most importantly ImagiPLAY’s products have helped thousands of children to discover themselves and their world as they navigate the waters of the human Age Of Exploration. 

If you are searching for toys that can stimulate your child’s mind and tantalize his/her imagination, check out the Rainforest Puzzle Play, one of ImagiPLAY’s environmentally themed product. Each puzzle measures at 7.75″ x 7.75″ x .75”, is beautifully crafted in earth friendly, chemically free rubberwood and hand painted in vibrant shades of child safe paint. The Rainforest Puzzle Play is a puzzle and playset in one and ideal for children above age 3.

BUY IT : You can purchase the Rainforest Puzzle Play via ImagiPLAY’s website and get 15% off any of their toys by using Promo Code “KIDSTUFF”, valid until 31st December 2008.

Our Parent Reviewers had the opportunity to try out the Rainforest Puzzle Play with their children recently. Check out how it fared with these parents:

Mommy Brain Reports - I think we have found a new favorite puzzle!!! Imagiplay sent us their Rainforest Puzzle, and it has been a huge hit in our house! We got our package just a day ago, and I think we’ve put this puzzle together nearly 10 times. At first I was worried about it being too difficult, but as we started to put the pieces together, it seemed like it was getting easier and easier. It was really neat to see their thought processes. One of my girls would get a little frustrated with not being able to piece the puzzle together, and she’d look at the picture on the label, and figure out where that particular piece belonged so she could continue on. My girls absolutely loved this puzzle!

Living In A Charmed Moment - My son is loving his new puzzle by ImagiPLAY called Rainforest. It combines wonderful vibrant colors and animals found in the rainforest. My son has almost learned all the colors and knows most of the animals associated with this puzzle. He has struggled with his words and communication not to mention his very short attention span. He likes me to put the puzzle together then he takes it apart piece by piece telling me the color or the animal. I am so excited for him to be learning & SPEAKING!! I think we found a mini breakthrough with this puzzle and we are definitely finding more like it at www.imagiplay.com.

Sassy Frazz - Each puzzle piece is a colorful animal found in a rainforest, and there is clouds, grass, and a branch. My kids like playing with the individual pieces, like having the tiger chase the monkey. They like making the animal sounds as they play with the pieces, too. The puzzle is a bit challenging, so it is good for kids to keep on working on it. It really keeps them busy. Nathaniel has no problems getting the pieces to fit together to make a puzzle, but Caleb is more challenged by it.

Chick N Monkey - Overall, as a mom, I like the puzzle set. It’s colorful, splinter-free hardwood, light weight, and the size of the pieces are just perfect for toddlers to handle. It’s easy to store, just put the pieces in zip lock bag and can bring it with us everywhere. The playset not only trains the toddlers’ patience, it also allows the toddlers to explore their imaginations. One suggestion, I hope they could include an enlarged picture of the finished puzzle, so it would be easier for the first timer.

A Wrestling Addicted Mommy’s Blog - Worried about Lead paint still on your toys? Don’t be. ImagiPLAY uses lead free paint on their puzzles so you don’t have to worry about any lead poisoning going on in your children. The puzzle doesn’t have to fit to one exact mold either, my girls found many fun ways to play with it and create a ‘puzzle of their own’ almost, it allows for a lot of creativity and imagination. This is great puzzle that will be played with for hours on end, and will last through the years with playful enjoyment by all. I can say, even I had fun with this helping the girls figure it out at first.

Lisa Reviews - One of the puzzles that we have in our house that the kids have the most fun with is the ImagiPlay RainForest Puzzle. It is for ages 3 and up. However, my 4 year old and 1 year old both love it. Mommy loves it too.  This puzzle is made from rubberwood which is an earth friendly hardwood.  The part I love the most is that it is painted with lead free paint.  It is clearly labeled that way, and I don’t have to worry about Will (the one year old) sticking it in his mouth (love it, love it, love it!). 

My Trendy Tykes - My 3 year old was the first to test it out. She took each animal out and played “house”. It was fun just to watch her imagination go WILD! I sat down in the floor and we stacked each animal on top of the scene and she got a little more intrigued.

Soon, all three kids were in the floor playing…..TOGETHER! (without fighting I might add). When they were done letting their imaginations run crazy. The two older kids started putting the puzzle together and at the end they would have lil sister apply the last “Puzzle” piece. Needless to say, they did it OVER and OVER again!

The Lille Punkin -  It not only was exactly the kind of toy my boys love the most (puzzles), but it captured the charm of a brightly-colored educational activity with the safest of methods. (All painted materials are tested to ensure they meet or exceed U.S. and European safety standards.)

Made from the earth-friendly rubberwood, this puzzle stimulates the brain! I was challenged trying to piece it together, but my kids were right on task, putting each piece in its place. I enjoyed watching them work together on this project, and as soon as it all came together — they tore it apart and built it again!

Crunchy Green Mom - I love wooden toys, I love the way they smell and feel, I love how sturdy they are and when they have colors on them, how vibrant it is. When I got the ImagiPlay Rainforest Puzzle I was in love!

Sisters Elizabeth Sills and Elena Patrice created ee publishing & productions, the laugh friendly company with the ambition to change the world. They believe in making childhood special for every child and that adults should follow the lead of kids who do a lot of good out of the goodness of their hearts. The sisters also believe that we should be able to laugh at ourselves and celebrate the small, good things in everyday life. Inspired by love and laughter, Elizabeth and Elena developed the world of Nana Star, comprising of a picture book series and plush toys, based on magical character created by their grandmother years ago. How could you not love this team of wonderful ladies who are so full of positive vibes? And you know what? I have not even started on their products yet!

A group of our Parent Reviewers were given the opportunity to review two of ee publishing’s products:

• The Nana Star Hardcover Picture Book (comes with CD) which explore the magical world of a sweet girl called Nana Star; and
• The so-very-huggable Nana Star doll

In the book, Nana Star is the young heroine who befriends a lost baby star and endeavours to bring it home to where he belongs. What makes the Nana Star book unique is that it includes a mistake in the text for young readers to find. When a child spots the mistake and sends Nana Star a note correcting the mistake, they become honorary members of Nana Star’s Little Twinkles Club. Little Twinkles will receive an autographed photo of the real Nana Star with a personalized message and a certificate of membership. What a special way to reward a child!

The 18 inch Nana Star doll is a soft plush toy with embroidered features and comes dressed in a deep blue dress. If you looked closely, you will also notice that the doll carries the little star which she helps rescue.  

BUY IT : In a world which is currently deludged by computer games, these simple toys are a change which many parents welcome. Visit Nana Star and start your collection of Nana Star and friends today! If you have a little time, don’t forget to hop over to the Nana Star Foundation, which is dedicated to helping make life easier for children attending under-resourced, inner-city schools and for terminally ill children. A portion of all proceeds from Nana Star products goes to Nana Star Foundation.

Check out what our Parent Reviewers had to say about the book and toy:

Brain Foggles - I know she concentrated and remembered it because later on she told me the story and used the little branch and star attached to the doll’s arms by elastic to act it out. Charlotte enjoyed the small CD with the Nana Star song. She danced a bit with the doll.

Charlotte told me that the doll was “nice because she’s soft” and not like her “other dolls at home”. She liked to hug her and hold her close. The book was “fun” because “the star found his Nana”.

From Melissa’s Desk - The CD has the words of the story read in a gentle voice so that children can either follow along with the book or use it alone. It would be a wonderful story to listen to at bedtime. There is also a song about Nana Star included on the CD.

The plush toy is so cute. Little girls will love the small bendable body that’s just right for snuggling.

Just My Rambling - When we first received Nana Star a couple of weeks ago, Lil’ C was so excited to see her and since then, they have been inseparable. Nana Star is like her little shadow now. She has been all over the house, the town and even on our recent vacation!!

Why Are They Calling ME Mom - This book first of all blew me away. When we received the book I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The name of course threw me. Before I introduced it to L and J I flipped through the pages and the illustrations were so beautiful and the little girl was very pretty with her blue dress and curly ponytail with a blue ribbon, I actually couldn’t wait to read the book especially with L. L of course loved that the book came with a posable Nana Star doll (which was added to her bedtime collection).

Jojo’s Place - What’s really great about all the Nana Star books is that they all come with a cd that tells the story, so that your children can follow along. Kelsie loves listening to this in the car while following along in her book.

I really love books that keeps the child’s imagination going even after the book is finished. This is one of those books. We can’t wait to get next in the series, Nana Star and the Moonman!

What’s That Smell? - I went from skeptic to fan in one afternoon. Now I want to read the next book. And Abby must have a Moonman! I really can’t say enough good things about the Nana Star book and the accompanying CD and posable doll. They don’t scream “wow” at first glance, but after Jake’s reaction to it, I’m certainly left with a “WOW.”

Creative Writings 101 - I look forward to reading future installments in the adventures of Nana Star, and meeting her new friends too. Deja plans on taking her Nana Star book to school soon, so the teacher will be able to share the story of Nana Star with her classmates. After I read Deja the story of Nana Star, she fell sound asleep with her Nana Star doll by her side.

Ponderings From My Heart - My son enjoyed listening to this book on CD as well as being read the story by my husband or myself. The plush doll has been added to his collection of plush toys, proving that Nana Star, although absolutely perfect for any little girl, is also for little boys! The themes of friendship and imagination apply to both genders!

Cheeks To Cheeks - My little girl absolutely adores this book and every night (without fail) my girl makes a request of having Nana Star read to her before slipping into slumber land. My girl was able to relate to the carefree and independent Nana Star. Most importantly the story has taught her to be thoughtful and helpful.The doll that was sent along with the book made story-time vivid and fun. We were able to enact the scenes read from the book and guess what? We have many plush toys but she chose only 2 to be sleeping next to her. One is the Wonder Woman toy her Daddy won from an arcade game (ah, my girl is sentimental) and the other is no other than her Nana Star doll. Nana Star is now a constant companion for my little girl every time I tuck her into bed.

Walk With Me - The illustration is beautifully simple and colorful. My daughter loves to point out all the things she sees in the pictures as I read the book.

I love that fact that it comes in an audio cd that I can play as we read along with the book or play it in the car. It reminds me of the old read along books that came with cassette audio tapes to listen along.

I remembered back in our childhood days, my siblings and I did not have the luxury of computer games or even computers for that matter. Thus, we spent many fun filled hours playing games like Hop Scotch, I Spy and the Memory Game. Those games taught us social skills like taking turns, respecting others as well as the importance of being competitive.

Inspired by these childhood games which were played by generations of children, Briarpatch, a leading manufacturer of children’s games have combined the classic I Spy game AND the Memory Game to create an all round family game called I SPY MEMORY GAME,  which currently happens to be one of the best selling game in the specialty market.

About Briarpatch:

Briarpatch has been an innovator in the development of games and puzzles for children of all ages since its inception in 1992. Its founders, a husband and wife team, John Donofrio and Martine Redman, created their first game prototype with a pair of scissors, some glue and passion for creating quality products based on classic literature. Today, Briarpatch maintains and inspiring, fun and educational product line and is a highly respected leader in the toy industry.

Briarpatch has received more than 275 awards for product excellence, including: Dr.Toy , Oppenheim Platinum and Gold Seal awards, Parents’ Choice Foundation, National Association of Parenting Publications, and Parents Magazine’s Best Toy awards, among others.

Our Reviewers were given the opportunity to try the I Spy Memory Game 15th Anniversary Edition. Find out what they had to say:

Freaky Frugalite - This is a terrific game for improving cognitive skills and memory, especially in young children. The game of memory was favorite game of mine as a kid, and I still love playing it. Back then, we had the old plainly marked cards- now, kids get these vivid colorful cards! We’ve always loved the I Spy books, and the cards are absolutely gorgeous! They are very thick cardboard, and durable, and thus kid-friendly.

Bookroom Reviews - The game is for one to six players ages four to adult and no reading is required!  Good thing because we have a four year old to play it with and he loved it!  What is so great about this game is you can tailor it to the age of your children by starting out with fewer cards to choose from.  It has basically the same rules as other memory games but what else is cool are the cards are so unique.  The two cards that match have the same item but each card is just a bit different, so you can talk to your child about what the differences are which in turn helps them with their critical thinking.

A Wrestling Addicted Mommy - It’s hard to find a game where we can all as a family play together and have fun at the same time, but I Spy seems to be a game fitting right in with our family. Not only is the I Spy Memory game fun, but it also helps your children develop visual, spatial, fine motor, and critical thinking skills. It also helps with social skills of taking turns, respecting others, and sharing.

From Dates To Diapers - With 8 different ways to play, I SPY is a fun game for the big kids and little ones alike. The littlest ones can play for hours, matching the cards and finding special items throughout the pictures, while the older ones and I enjoy solving the riddles by finding the clues hidden in each card. Just the other day, while Noah was napping, I played with all five kiddos until all the riddles were solved… Fun!

Pajamamom - We received Briarpatch I Spy Memory Game to test and it’s been a lifesaver… all three kids enjoy the game in different ways. The first and easiest game is Memory. Everybody loves it, simple, easy to understand game that does not require reading.  I also love it because the images on the card are of real objects, not obnoxious characters! Girl2006 can name most of the cards so it’s nice to build vocabulary, of course she has little to no ability to remember where the matches are but she tries! Girl2004 and Boy2001 play with ease and it’s great for them to play amongst themselves.

Mommy Mandy - My five year old Samantha is having such a blast with the I SPY Memory Game from briarpatch. She has played memory games before but really loves this one from Briarpatch. “I spy a ring, a blue number two, memory riddles are fun to do!”

Kristen McLane - What I like most about the I Spy Memory Game are the pictures. There are no cartoony cards covered in generic clip art - only colorful and creative pictures as seen in the I Spy books. And no two cards are exactly the same. The idea is to find cards with main objects that match. I like that this adds a little extra challenge for the brain. I have a feeling this game will be around as a favorite in our family for a long time.

Renaissance Culinaire (reviewed the regular I Spy Memory Game)  - It seemed a bit overwhelming for my 5 yr old at first, she was really excited to just get to the playing of the game, but once she found her first match she really took to the game. In fact she got the most matches between me and my husband combined.

We all enjoyed this time as a family, and our youngest toddler even got into the spirit of things by holding onto my “matches” pile.

Lisa Reviews - I would highly recommend the I Spy Memory Game! We had a lot of fun with it, and I can see it being a game that your children will enjoy playing as they grow older.