Toys you might like to look at for your young ones

       

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MEIGO Magnetic Blocks - Kids Magnetic Building Tiles Set Boys Girls STEM Educational Magnet Toys for Toddlers (51pcs) #sponsored #review

My thoughts: Beautifully packaged product is concise, organized. The individual pieces are sized so that they are safe for young children (nothing in the mouth to swallow) and the magnets enclosed. The pieces are bright and colorful engaging the visual senses. The shapes - hexacon, square, triangle, etc. - can be taught at an early age.

Best methodology for construction of shapes is to begin on a flat surface laying the pieces flat and then raising sides to meet. On the Facebook page - click here - you can see a video showing various shapes under construction.

I can easily recommend this toy as it appears to be high quality and clearly an entertaining educational toy. Grandmother approved!

Product information (from Amazon)

• 51 Pieces Magnetic Set: The stacking blocks for preschool learning include 18*Square, 16*Triangle, 4*Long Triangle, 4*Diamond, 3*Castle Wall, 2*Trapezoid, 2*Semicircle, 2*Hexagon, 1* Storage Bag, 1*Booklet. Golden ratio for multiple shapes
• Premium Quality: Every magnetic tile is made of durable ABS plastic. Powerful permanent magnet make you fit the magnetic tiles in patterns easily
• Visible Safety: Non-Toxic ABS plastic that surrounds magnet is food graded material. Round edge design without sharpness will not let your kids get hurt
• Diverse Development: This STEM toy set can develop color and shape recognition, creativity and imagination, practical and design ability. Perfect for preschool education
• MEIGO Warranty: 90 days unconditional refund and 12 months guarantee for a new replacement if there is any product quality problem

Find it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Meigo-construction

DISCLOSURE: I received a free or highly discounted product to facilitate this #sponsored #review as part of the Tomoson product reviewers groups. Opinions are mine, alone, and I only recommend those products which I or a family member can use.

Adorable Forest Friend Lottie Doll Enters world of fairy imaginings [Review & Giveaway - USA/CANADA]

Click here for Forest Friends Lottie Doll

It is nearly that time of year when visions of sugar plum fairies, ballet dancers, fairy tales and all sorts of imaginary happenings and loveliness enter the hearts and minds of young girls everywhere. Enter:  Forest Friend Lottie Doll. She is dressed in a whimsical net layered dress in greens and purples. Her shape and build is designed to represent a young girl (not womanly shaped). She has the look of innocence and delight.

Yes, Christmas is coming and plans are already being laid and shopping planned. A couple of Christmases ago I gave my 5 young grand-girls Lottie Dolls. They absolutely loved them. I also review a couple of the lovely dolls here on Chat With Vera. I highly recommend these as quality products that bring a high degree of loving play to the child receiving them.

I am especially adamant about giving young girls dolls appropriate for their age. I don't believe that the image put forth of glamorous, heavily made-up, seductively dressed, and curvaceously shaped dolls helps our girls develop into girls who have a good sense of self-worth. But providing dolls more appropriate to their age and dolls that encourage development for various roles in life certainly provides quality playtime and time for dreaming about what may be in their own future.

1. Lottie dolls are age appropriate and award winning.
2. Lottie dolls have NO MAKE UP and NO JEWELRY
3. I recommend as great "any time" purchases for girls.
4. Lottie Dolls has a "boy" doll, too.
5. There are great accessories available.
6. The selection is great for choosing the doll most suited for your special child.
7. Lottie dolls are priced  and sized so a child can enjoy a collection of the dolls and a variety of outfits.
8. Lottie dolls make great Christmas gifts.

Product information:  

Reading her book at bedtime, Lottie is enchanted to learn about all the magical forest fairies that live deep in the woods and forests. Lottie imagines how exciting it might be to discover a secret fairy door on a tree, where fairytales come to life and anything can happen! Perhaps the forest fairies might sprinkle fairy dust all around her so that her wildest dreams come true?
Forest Friend Lottie Description: Hair: Red; Eyes: Green - Lottie is dressed in a delightful green and lilac fairy-inspired costume comprising a velvet-style bodice and petal tutu skirt. A cute bow hairband and sparkly gold ballet flats complete the look. Doll height: 18 cm - Recommended Age: 3 years +
Includes:• Green and lilac fairy-inspired costume with a cute bow hairband and gold ballet flats

See selections (USA & International) - Join "Club Lottie" and for a first-time order get a discount of 10% and also for October use code SHIPFREE for free shipping in October. Club Lottie

GIVEAWAY
Prize: Choice of any doll up to the value of $25

Begins October 12

Ends November 2 @ 12:01 a.m. EST

Open to USA and CANADA
 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out my reviews of Lottie Dolls:

Click here for English Country Garden review

Click here for Fossil Hunter review

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary product to evaluate and review. Opinions are my own and are freely given. Winner's prize will be provided by and shipped by Lottie Dolls directly to the winner.

Gareth Lucas Noisy Books: Dinos on Deck! & Noisy Books: Dig Dig, Digger from Silver Dolphin Books

Two new books from Silver Dolphin to delight the young child.

My thoughts:  Children love when an adorable book has buttons they can push and produce sounds. Usually, books with pre-recorded sounds have one-button-fun sound opportunities for the young reader. With Gareth Lucas' Noisy Books there are "spots" to push on each two-page spread giving multiple opportunities to introduce specific noises into the story.  What fun!

Sounds of squawking, splashing, sand-digging, etc. are ready for finger-poking fun. The story is simple but fun.

Kids will love the adventure of the dinos and parents can replace the batteries so the Dino sounds can continue on and on.

About the book: Join your favorite dinosaur friends on an adventure in the seas in Gareth Lucas Noisy Books: Dinos on Deck! Hoist the sails, press the sound buttons, and laugh along as a Triceratops, a Stegosaurus, a T. rex and more search for treasure. With humorous art by Gareth Lucas and charming rhyming text, this sound book will be a perfect addition to story time. What will these dinosaur friends find when they open the treasure chest?

My thoughts:  As the construction crew digs and hammers their way through the pages of this fun book, there are sounds - noises - that alert to a backing vehicle, hammers that bam, whistles that shrill, etc. Lots of fun activities of the construction crew and the end result is a fabulous playground with a lovely tune to end the story.

Told in simple sentences the story is a fun read that little ones - boys or girls - will enjoy.

Replaceable batteries will enable parents to prolong to life of the book and the noises that delight the child.

About the book: Dig, dig, dig…and dig some more with your favorite animal friends! In Noisy Books: Dig, Dig Digger, children will be amused by the hilarious antics of the animals as they build an adventure playground. Young readers will delight in Gareth Lucas's artwork and in finding the sound button on every spread. Each turn of the page will bring humor and fun with hippos, bears, camels, and more on their day at the construction site.

DISLCOSURE: I was provided complimentary copies to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own and freely given.

SHOP NOW FOR CHRISTMAS - Lottie Dolls

 

Are you as tired as I am of children playing with toys that are simply not age-appropriate?  Check out my reviews of "Lottie" dolls!

CLICK HERE TO SHOP

US STORE, UK STORE, EU STORE

Vera's Reviews:

http://chatwithvera.blogspot.com/2015/08/fossil-hunter-lottie-doll-engenders.html

http://chatwithvera.blogspot.com/2015/06/good-news-on-doll-front-lottie-dolls.html

Good news on the doll front - Lottie Dolls are appropriate for the young girl. [Plan now for Christmas!]

The wondrous beauty of a child in his or her innocence and youth is truly remarkable. And children’s play should never disrupt this state of youthful innocence. Therefore, implements of play – toys – that are inappropriate for the child’s age betray and disrupt the normal development of the child.

Play is the work of children

It is the responsibility of adults with the oversight of the child, to provide appropriate toys. This has been my firm belief through the years when I raised my five children and followed the childhood of my 13 grandchildren. For this reason, I was selective in my choice of toys for them.

I recently stumbled across a new brand and style of dolls. These are the Lottie Dolls. They definitely receive a “Chat With Vera” seal of approval and high recommendation. Here are some of the reasons….

• These are beautifully designed and well-crafted.
• They are designed to accurately represent a 9-year old girl in body build and proportions.
• You won't find makeup, jewelry, or high heels.
• The clothes and accessories are of quality materials, well made, and well designed.
• The dolls represent a broad spectrum of personalities and girl's activities.

Looking at the English Country Garden Lottie Doll, she has on a sweet little jumper style dress with appliques, a ruffle, and pocket. Her shoes are sweet Mary Jane slippers and she has white socks. She has a sweet, innocent expression on her face as befits the innocence of a young girl. She is ready for sweet little hands to hold her, bend her arms and legs in various positions, and dress her.

Perfect in size to carry to all those excursions little girls like to go on without taking up too much space. She is 18cm tall (roughly 7").  Beautifully packaged for gifting. This lovely little doll has won 19 international awards, including 5 Oppenheim Portfolio Platinum Awards.

There are a variety of accessory packs. I received the hair care pack with brush, hair rubber bands, and a little drawstring baggie to store them. These are perfect for brushing and fixing the doll's soft, silky hair.

Where can Lottie Dolls be found? They have their own website - Lottie Dolls. But they may also be found on Amazon and on Barnes and Noble. Dolls range $19.95 to $24.95 and accessory packs are around $10. Outfits are $9.99. There is even a Finn (boy) doll as well.

Award-winning, childlike dolls, that empower young minds and nurture individuality through play

Created in England by folks that want to assure that children at play are nurtured by their play with toys that are age appropriate.

Lottie Online Activities 

Short Online Women's & Girl's Biographies to Read

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary doll and accessory pack to facilitate this review. Opinions joyfully expressed are mine. I was not compensated for this review.

Bible Dominoes By Juliet David; illustrated by Jo Parry (play and learn game)

ISBN: 9781781281550 - $9.99 - Candle Books Imprint

Description: This domino game helps children to learn about the Bible and Jesus while playing! It also encourages communication, sharing, counting, and matching skills. The pieces are large and colorful, so they're easy to pick up, and the pictures are clear. The set includes 28 dominoes with a mixture of Bible story characters, numbers, and animals to match, as well as instructions and a story booklet explaining the stories featured on the cards. A useful resource for home, school, or Sunday school.

My thoughts: Recently my granddaughters visited and I gave them the Bible Dominoes game to play with. Their ages are 4 years to 11 years old. The game is geared for the younger children, but the eldest delighted in showing little sisters how to play. They caught right on to the game and began matching colors, number sets, etc. with skill. This is a simple game that engages their minds and teaches them to follow the rules of the game. You can see from the following "game time" pictures their enjoyment and fun at  game time play.

The figures on the domino cards are characters and images representing Bible stories. These can be used to refresh children's memories of Bible stories as they play along in the game. Match colors or match numerals. Match items on a card. A variety of matches can be made.

Sweet, simple game for young children. I recommend!

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary product from Kregel to facilitate review. Opinions expressed are my own. No compensation was received for this review.