Creative Builder Set [review]

As my son is growing into a little young man, I work hard to find toys that will promote creativity with an educational aspect. I prefer toys that do not require batteries and do not make noise. Among the noises that come from watching TV, videos on the iPad, or some of the battery-operated toys that we do have, I find it beneficial to have quiet toys. The quiet toys are the ones that keep my 2.5 year old's engagement. Develop creativity, imagination, and problem solving skills with the 85 piece creative builder set.

Koolsupply Creative Builder Set      

Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

Disclosure: I received the product to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and are honest. Reference: f2d2f8f6b7d1

The Good	The Not So Good
Sturdy pieces	Made from plastic
Can build just about anything
Gender neutral
Adults can join in!

Koolsupply Creative Builder Set comes with 85 pieces that are used to create just about anything that you would want to create. The pieces include 4 wheels, a wrench, and plastic pieces and screws to build with. The pieces are made from sturdy plastic and are housed in a plastic storage bin with a lid and a handle. I really like that everything is contained. The builder set is ready to go if we need to take it with us to occupy our toddler in the car or at someone's house.

The builder set is safe for children 3+ because of smaller parts. However, I can see a child as young as 2-2.5 years old enjoying the set with adult supervision. The great part is that older children, teenagers, young adults and older adults can also play with this set. Everyone can join in!

Usage: Open the box, look at the instruction sheet for suggestions, and start building!

Results: My 2.5 year old son really enjoyed playing with the builder set. He is able to play with Legos fairly well, so I knew this set was a good next step. The first few times, I sat down with him and showed him briefly how stuff goes together. I try to minimize instruction with him and allow him to figure stuff out on his own. He was able to get a good hang out putting pieces together, though he's not old enough yet to be able to build something like a dinosaur without help from an adult. I also enjoyed building with him, so that is a big plus in my book! The plastic storage bin with the snap-on lid is a great feature to take the set outside the home.

We have not had to clean the set yet, but I can see it being really easy to do so. My strategy for cleaning plastic toys with smaller parts is to fill the sink with soapy, swirl the toys around in it, rinse, and dry. Then, let air dry.

The Koolsupply Creative Builder Set is a toy that my child will continue to come back to. He can make something new every time and it will keep his imagination going as he gets older. I would highly recommend this toy for any child on your holiday gift list.

Tweet

Speekee - Spanish For Kids [Giveaway]

I believe that learning a second language is an important part of education for kids. Learning a language from a very young age gives the opportunity to retain the language for life. Speeke is an online Spanish program for kids aged 2+. That means a child can start learning Spanish even before they enter formal school. Enter below for a chance to win!

SPEEKEE IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE ONLINE SPANISH PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN EVER MADE. IT SUITS CHILDREN AGED 2+.

Video based Spanish for Kids

Serving parents, teachers and their children since 2006

Give your child the language advantage today!

1 Winner will receive a full year subscription

100 Winners will receive a 1 month subscription.

BONUS: On the entry form you have a second chance to win!

Hosted by Michigan Saving and More

Sponsor: Speekee

Giveaway is 10/30 – 11/13

Open Worldwide

Co-hosted by:

Java John Z’s

Tyrneathem

Before and After Baby

Life in a House of Testosterone

Holiday Contest and Sweeps

Tales From A Southern Mom

Joyful Gifts By Julie

Deliciously Savvy

A Girl Rocks Life

God’s Growing Garden

ALSO WE WANT TO GIVE A HUGE THANKS TO ALL THE WONDERFUL GROUP OF PROMOTING BLOGGERS! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING YOUR FOLLOWERS TO ENTER!

Also we all “love it if you like us” on Facebook! If you like our blogs on social media it helps us bring you only the best giveaways and more of them!

Entry-Form

Disclosure: This giveaway is in no way endorsed, affiliated, or associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Media Networking Site. You are not eligible if you have won a prize from any of the sponsors in the last 12 month. This Giveaway is valid Worldwide must be 18+ years of age to enter. This giveaway event will end at 11:59 PM (EST) 11/13/15. The winners email address will be turned into sponsor for code to be emailed. The sponsor is responsible for shipping of the above prizes. No blog associated with this contests are responsible for prize fulfillment. If you would like to be a sponsor in a giveaway like this please email Laura Smith at las930 (at)gmail (dot) com.

Tweet

How To Turn Your Knowledge Into Income With Udemy [Review]

As a stay at home mom, opportunities to turn my knowledge into income always interest me. Coming from a professional career, I have a lot transferable skills that can be used for many different purposes. I want to keep my skills and experiences current. And, I want to use my skills and experiences to benefit others. Udemy is a huge online learning marketplace that allows anyone to turn their existing knowledge, skills and experiences into earning income from home.

Easy Udemy Course Creation     

Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Huge database of courses
Large student base
Courses in 80+ languages
Easy accessibility (computer, tablet, smart phone)

I am finishing up a course on how to turn my knowledge, skills and experiences into online courses that can earn me passive income. Passive income means that I do not do any direct sales. I create my course, publish it with the course cost, and wait until student sign up and pay for my course. Udemy already offers more than 25,000 courses and has a student base of over 6 million people globally. The courses contain audio, video, supplement documents, etc. Both the video and the audio are of high quality.

There are two ways to use Udemy:

1. Consumer of the courses
2. Creator of the courses

Udemy's advantage is that they offer mass open enrollment, which means that anyone can take any course. The courses are accessible online through a computer, tablet, smart phone, etc. I love that courses can be taken whenever is convenient for you and use whatever device you have available. This is beneficial whether you are a consumer or creation of the courses. As a consumer, I want to have easy accessible to courses. Whether I am listening to a course in the car or watching the video during a workout at the gym, accessibility is everything.

Courses are available on a variety of different topics. Searching for and browsing courses is very easy. The graphics also help to see what type of content is offered in the course. The costs of the course range from very affordable to more expensive for the longer courses.

The course that I am taking, Udemy: Fast & Easy Udemy Course Creation, details how a person can start creation their own courses to publish on Udemy. Dave Espino covers all of the basics of Udemy Course Creation, and the initial investment ($50-$125). On average, I estimate that if you create a course anywhere from $25-$50 per course and a handful of students take your course, you can easily gain return on investment within 6-12 months depending on the topic and the quality of your course. And from then on, you will be earning money from home!

This course is about 4 hours, but I am able to take it in segments. Courses are broken down into smaller sections so I view a section at a time as I have time to do. I have been going through the videos on my son's nap time.

If you are looking to turn your knowledge into income, I would recommend investing money in this course. I found the course to be detailed enough where I would feel comfortable creation my own content and publishing the course on Udemy. The course includes an exercise that I can do on my own to determine what type of courses and content I can publish. After going through the course and the exercise, I feel confident that I can start creating my own courses to earn money from home.

Disclosure: I received the product to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are honest.

Tweet

Toddler Adventures: Bean Sensory Bin

This post is part of my Toddler Adventures series. This series will capture unschooling activities, free play, park and playground visits, Montessori style learning activities like sensory bins and busy bags, and whatever else we get into.

This week, I decided to tackle the sensory bin again. My initial attempt at a sensory bin included rolled oats as the base. My son ate the oats, which I did not mind. However, I wanted him to focus on playing in the sensory bin, not eating rolled oats off the (somewhat dirty) kitchen floor. I learned that I needed a bigger container for him to play in and something that he would be less inclined to eat.

Off we went to Big Lots to purchase a big plastic container. Yes, this eco-friendly, no-plastic girl purchased a big plastic container. Two of them! I strive to do the best I can to reduce our family's negative impact on the environment and on ourselves. However, certain items just cannot be replaced or are not readily available in a non-plastic option.

Today's activity was a Bean Sensory Bin. I took the glass jar with dried black beans, placed it next to the sensory bin with random items thrown in. I had one measuring cup in my hand and gave my son another cup. I scooped out some beans and poured them into a container. He followed my lead. After a while, he emptied the whole glass jar and I put it back on the counter. We continued to play with the beans in the bin.

My biggest aversion to sensory bins is that they are messy. As adults, we have been trained to not make a mess. Making a mess is part of the learning experience for children. If you are introducing sensory bins to your child, let go of whatever mess-free mindset you have.

There were dried black beans all over the kitchen floor. I was panicking, but kept telling myself that dried black beans are pretty easy to clean up and this is a good learning opportunity for my 21 month old son.

I did set the rule: "beans stay in the kitchen." Of course, I had to repeat myself every 30 seconds and clean up some beans in the living room. Discipline is always a work in progress.

Thoughts on dried beans vs. rolled oats? I decided that I can wash the dried beans and reuse them for cooking, while the oats went straight to the compost bin. My son did try to eat a few of the beans. Black beans are small enough that I was not afraid of them being a choking hazard.

The container I purchased has a lid on it, which allows me to cover the Bean Sensory Bin for later use. Any container, big or small will work for this purpose. Let the child play. The mess can be cleaned up quickly with a broom, vacuum, or a piece of paper (great for scooping beans).
 

Tweet

Toddler Adventures: Parks and Back Yards

I am starting a new series, Toddler Adventures, to capture our weekly toddler activities. My 16 month old toddler is running around and discovering the world. This series will capture unschooling activities, free play, park and playground visits, Montessori style learning activities like sensory bins and busy bags, and whatever else we get into.

I am a firm believer of spending as much time outside and in nature as possible. Fresh air and the green grass and trees help to calm me down. A dose of sunshine boosts my mood. Plus, my 16 month old toddler loves discovering something new in the back yard, ripping freshly bloomed flowers in the front yard or apples off dedushka's (grandpa's) tree. With the mild summer weather we have had, playing in the yard and visiting parks has become part of our everyday life.

Apple picking in dedushka's back yard

Discovering sand in the horseshoe pit

Taking a rest on a park bench

Playing at the base of a big tree

Walking down grammy's street to see what's at the end

>> What kinds of adventures do your kids get into??
 

Tweet

Beyond the Seam $50 GC [Giveaway]

Welcome to the Beyond the Seam Giveaway!

Hosted By: Mami's 3 Little Monkeys

Sponsored By: Beyond the Seam 

One lucky reader will win a $50 GC to Beyond the Seam! 

I am in love with the collection of handmade magnetic fabric alphabets and math sets that are bright and colorful. The perfect sensory toys for your babies, toddlers, and kids. Beyond the Seam also creates other fun toys for any child. If you would like to learn more about Beyond the Seam, read Mami's 3 Little Monkeys' review. 

Discount Code

Use code 3LITTLEMONKEYS to receive FREE SHIPPING on your order from Beyond the Seam! 

Giveaway! 

Simply complete entries through the Giveaway Tools entry form below for your chance to win, the more entries you complete, the better your odds of winning will be. Giveaway is open Worldwide (void where prohibited) to those whom are at least 18 years of age and it will end on April 1st at 11:59pm CST. One winner will be chosen at random through the Giveaway Tools entry form, winners entries will be verified and winner will be notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours in which to respond or a new winner will be chosen. 

Entry-Form

Disclosure: All Natural Katie and all other participating bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment of the prize, nor have they been compensated for this publication. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Sarh at mamis3littlemonkeys@yahoo.com

Tweet

Keeping the Trash in the Trashcan [#CTWW]

This week's challenge:

This week, pick up litter and dispose of it properly. As you go through your day, pay attention to the area and clean as you go. You might see trash as you walk between your car and your office. Perhaps you'll see plastic bags, etc. in the parking lot of a market. If you enjoy nature walks, browse the side of the trail. Get your kids involved and take litter walks or organize a neighborhood cleanup of a local park. The idea, this week, is to rid the area of litter!

An overfilled recycling box is open to the elements, like wind, that can blow paper and small containers out and down the street. Therefore, I would assume that moving from recycling boxes to recycling bins with lids with reduce the amount of trash that litters the yards on our street. Nope! On every run and every walk, I spot at least one piece of trash in several of the neighboring yards. I assume (hopefully correctly this time) that the trash escapes in between the worker picking up the recycling bin and the contents being emptied into the garbage truck. I also suspect that trash, usually empty cans, gets thrown out of cars that drive down the street. We live in a nice, mature neighborhood, so trash in the yards is not something I expect to see. Therefore, I have formulated a simple plan.

With the warmer weather, I will be getting outside more with the baby. We will bring a bag with us and collect any trash and litter we see in our neighbors' yards. We will then appropriately dispose of it by recycling, trashing, or composting (I have found a whole orange in our front yard before!). Change the World Wednesday challenges us to be the small change that collectively results in bigger changes. The baby and I will the small change to clean up our street. As he becomes older and starts to communicate more, I will ask him to help me find stray trash in our neighbors' yards. This will be a great way to make a positive impact and educate about taking care of the environment and the Earth.

>> How do you keep the trash in the trashcan??
  

Tweet

Amazing Program To Teach Kids To Read [Review]

Our little one is only 8 months old. Nonetheless, I am already thinking of my strategy for teaching him to read. My husband and I read to him every day, even if just a little bit, to ensure that he will have a strong foundation of language. Language and reading are extremely important building blocks for a successful future. Children Learning Reading is a simple and effective step-by-step program to aid parents teaching their children how to read.

Children Learning Reading        ($49.99, Standard Package)
Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Proven results
Teaches in a short amount of time

This step-by-step program was developed after a family was frustrated with results from other programs promising to teach children to read. Children Learning Reading is a simple and effective program because you teach your child to read by learning phonics and building phonemic awareness skills. Once a child learns phonemes or sounds, he or she can learn to read just about anything. Research has shown a direct correlation between phonemic awareness and a child's ability to read as they get older.

The investment of only 10-15 minutes a day, through short 3-5 minutes lessons, is the basis of this reading program. I love that the investment is only a short period of time each day, or a few days a week if you are a working parent. The lessons are short enough that I can do them throughout the day when I am at home. A few minutes here and a few minutes there to achieve reading success early on.

The Children Learning Reading website lists countless testimonials from parents who have achieved amazing results with teaching their children to read and wish that they would have started sooner. Since I am blessed to have the opportunity to stay at home with my son, I will start this program as soon as he is ready. The founding family starting teaching shortly after their children turned 2 years old. I also love that the company offers a 60 days money back guarantee. The founding family is confident that your children will be reading in no time if you take time aside to consistently follow this program.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Tweet

TreeSmart Offers Recycled School Supplies [Review]

I try to recycle everything, after determining if it can be reused or composted first. I always wonder what the recycled paper and plastic becomes. Does the paper become recycled paper? Does the plastic become a recycled plastic toy for a child? Knowing what your hard recycling efforts become is a great motivator to continue recycling. TreeSmart specializes in recycled school and office supplies, including recycled rolled-up newspaper pencils, colored pencils, and rulers.

Tree Smart recycled products       
Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Made from recycled newspaper
Biodegradable

I received a recycled rule, regular pencils, and colored pencils. All three are made from recycled newspaper. How neat is that! I love that TreeSmart takes recycled items and makes them into recycled school and office supplies. This is a great way to teach our kids about the importance of recycling and that the stuff we recycle does get put to good use. TreeSmart offers a school fundraising and service project called Newspapers for Pencils to educate children about the importance of recycling. Children learn first-hand about the benefits of recycling by collecting newspapers in exchange for pencils printed with the school's name.

I was a little skeptical when I first read that the pencils are made from recycled newspaper. My fears were gone once I took the regular and colored pencils out of the packaging. They were sturdy and hard just like you would expect wooden pencils to be. TreeSmart recycled pencils are made from recycled rolled-up newspapers and high-quality #2 HB graphite. The pencils were easy to sharper with my standard mechanical sharpener. I can even compost the shavings. The ruler was very sturdy. I plan on adding this ruler to my canning kit so I can measure head space (I needed a 6" ruler).

Between the fact that TreeSmart reuses recycled newspaper to make school supplies and the Newspapers for Pencils fundraising project, I would highly recommend this company. The durability of the products shows the high quality process that takes recycled newspaper, adds graphite, and makes pencils. When my son gets older, I hope to introduce his school to the fundraiser and classroom activities. If you are looking for a greener and more eco-friendly source of your school and office supplies, consider TreeSmart.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free to facilitate my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Tweet

Earn an Online Masters in Health Administration

People who choose to work in the health care industry have a well of compassion for others. They want to make life better for patients and their families. Unfortunately, the practical demands of the modern health care system continually challenge those compassionate, caring qualities. 

For those who want to impact health care in a positive way, a Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree may be the perfect solution. This rigorous degree program prepares health care professionals for a leadership role in the health care business. It allows students to apply newly-learned concepts to real-world situations in various health care environments. 

The MHA coursework involves a series of interactive learning activities. Some require collaboration with instructors and other health care professionals, while others are independent studies. Business, finance, leadership, health care law, research, marketing and human resources are among the topics of study.

At prominent schools like Ohio University, business and health care professionals can earn a masters in health administration online. The comprehensive curriculum is designed to develop leaders in the health care system. With their leadership skills and business acumen, these professionals are ready to innovate, adapt and lead in the evolving health care industry.

Online degrees are designed for professionals in mid-career. The Master of Health Administration degree builds on existing professional backgrounds to develop knowledge and skill sets. Health care professionals can apply these skills immediately. 

Many schools offer world-class MHA programs that attract a diversity of students. People of different professions and geographic backgrounds collaborate to solve the nation's most pressing health care problems. Online program coordinators assist with registration, tuition and financial aid to help students navigate the non-academic aspects of graduate school. The classes themselves are led by business and health care professionals. 

Communication, technology, leadership and creative thinking are the main objectives of an MHA program. Unlike general degrees, a master's degree in health administration prepares the health care leader of the future. The skills learned through online education help health care administrators understand and solve current and future problems in the health care system.

Most students complete the MHA program within two years, and most programs are completely online. This flexibility allows students to balance their work, family and personal obligations. As they learn new concepts, they exchange expertise with health care professionals from across the United States. Together, they solve some of the most significant health care problems facing the nation.

Tweet

Nordic Naturals Partners To Improve Literacy

Did you know that if you read to babies, they will grow up liking to read themselves? Having books on your coffee table provides accessibility to reading for your children. Reading is one of the most powerful gifts you can give you to not only your children, but anyone else, even adults. The ability to read has been shown to increase life expectancy (http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/socind/). Reading improves literacy and provides the building blocks to help children experience a better world. Nordic Naturals is helping do this through their Back to School Essentials product promotion.

The Back to School Essentials product promotion supports the U.S. Literacy Program for the non-profit Save the Children. From July 1 through September 30, for every bottle of Baby’s DHA, Children’s DHA™, Omega-3.6.9. Junior™, Ultimate Omega Junior®, and Nordic Berries™ sold at RETAIL stores, $1 will be donated to the Save the Children organization.

As Keri Marshall, Chief Medical Officer at Nordic Naturals, states below, the partnership between Nordic Naturals and Save the Children will pay dividends in the future.

“Supporting learning in children has always been a passion for us at Nordic Naturals,” notes Keri Marshall, Chief Medical Officer for the company. “Omega-3s have proven themselves as important building blocks not only for overall health in children but in supporting a child’s ability to learn. We are proud to be associated with Save the Children and to support their meaningful work to improve childhood literacy in this country.”

Although I personally have not been around communities affected by illiteracy, I know that reading and writing are very important basic life skills. Every baby, child, and adult should have access to learn these skills. If we do not know how to read and write, then we limit ourselves in our potential for education and personal empowerment.

Tweet