Octonauts - Explore! Rescue! Protect! Play!

I was a fan of Meomi long before I was a mom. Their super cute illustration style caught my eye and I was pleased to learn that they had created a team of submarine-dwelling critters for a book series once Roo was born. The Octonauts and the Only Lonely Monster was an instant fave- I think I enjoyed it as much as Roo did! Fast forward a few years and, of course, the team has their own TV show and still holds a special place in our family.

We were thrilled to find out that Mattel was releasing a collection of Octonauts toys. I secretly hoped that Roo and Jasper would think they were too "little kid" for them and I could steal them for my office, but no such luck. They went nuts at seeing the Octopod playset!

These toys are not only predictably adorable but very sturdy and meant for serious play. They've been in the tub and outside and I suspect they'll be hitting the pool very soon. I know my photos are a little hard to discern (my good camera is out of commission right now), so here is a stock image of the wonderous Octopod playset:

So. Stinking. Cute. We love the Octonauts!

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that we received product samples to facilitate this review. No compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.

Neighborhood Toy Store Day- Shop Local on Saturday!

I first learned about the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA), a non-profit organization that supports independent toy stores, back in 2009 when we received a fabulous Great Pretenders knight/dragon reversible cape and hood to review. Jasper still dresses up in that set almost daily, which I think is the perfect testament to the value of products selected as ASTRA Best Toys of the Year. They inspire creativity and are made to be kid-friendly and durable, unlike many mass-marketed toys which seem to fall apart right out of the box.

ASTRA's third annual Neighborhood Toy Store Day is coming up this Saturday, November 10th. You can use the handy search tool to find your local independent toyseller. (Ours is about three miles away and it's amazing- we could spend all day in there. And they'd probably even let us!) They most definitely have "The Woo-Hoo Factor:" smart, local and unique. 

We received two items from the 2012 Best Toys roster to review  and both were HUGE hits with our family.

The Loopdedoo spinning tool uses embroidery floss to create wrapped bracelets in any color combination you can dream up. It's a simple machine, using two cranks and hooks and no batteries. It's entirely kid-powered! It does take some manual dexterity so it's best for older kids. Roo is 8 and she needed a little bit of help tying the ends off and making sure it didn't unravel. She made bracelets for everyone! 

There are tutorial videos online to help instruct you in the more complicated patterns. It's a gift that keeps on giving, especially since the materials (yarn or floss) are so inexpensive. I could see adding handmade clay or shrinky dink charms, or even stamped metal. I may or may not have stolen this machine to keep in my office for future projects. It's pretty darned cool!

 Tenzi, by Carma Games, is a dice game that the whole family can enjoy. It consists of four sets of ten dice each and the rules are blessedly simple: you keep rolling until you get all ten dice showing one number. Tenzi is suggested for 8+ but Jasper is five and I actually think that it's a good tool to help smaller kids recognize number groups. (Obviously, you'd want to keep it away from toddlers who like to put choking hazards in their mouths!) All of us had a blast with this and it got quite competitive.

We haven't gotten past the original Tenzi rules yet but there are many, many variations. I'm actually thinking about picking up another set with different colors so we can have more than four people play at once. There's something very satisfying about hearing all the dice slap down on the table. It's super portable, too, so you could easily slip it into a bag for road trips.

 

Don't forget to shop local at your neighborhood toy store this Saturday, November 10th!

Keep up to date with the best in independent toys by liking The Woohoo Factor on Facebook or follow @TheWoohooFactor on Twitter. You can also search hashtags #toystoreday #localtoystore #shoplocal.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am a member of Child's Play Communications'Team Mom network. We received the toys pictured to facilitate this review. No additional compensation has been provided.  As usual, all opinions are my own. 

Do You Know the SportsParent of the Year?

Do you know someone who would be a great contender for the title of Sports Illustrated Kids' 2012 SportsParent of the Year? Someone who is a great role model for athletic kids and cares more about playing the game than winning trophies? Are you that parent?! The deadline for submissions ends next Monday, Sept. 24th, so get your nominations in today!

The Grand Prize Winner will receive a $1,000 VISA gift card to support his/her child’s or community team’s sports needs and may also be featured in an upcoming issue of Sports Illustrated Kids magazine and/or on SIKids.com.

Entry is simple:

• Decide who to submit for the award, whether it is yourself, your spouse or another parent
• Simply go to www.sikids.com/sportsparent and follow instructions to submit your nomination
• Remember there is (1) nomination per person or email account.
• “Like” the Sports Illustrated Kids Facebook page
• Share your entry with all of your friends and followers using hashtag #SPOTY2012

As a special bonus, SI Kids is offering my readers their September tablet issue COMPLETELY FREE! The tablet edition has everything that the print magazine has, but also includes bonus photos and interactive features like games and sports cards that kids will love! Simply download the SI Kids app on iPad or Kindle Fire, and use these credentials to access this latest issue:

•           Login: freeissue@sikids.com

•           Password: september2012

Or subscribe immediately by heading HERE to receive an entire year of SI Kids in print and on tablet for only $19.95.

About Sports Illustrated Kids

 SI Kids is THE magazine for boys and girls who love sports. It presents sports the way kids want to read about them: with great action photos, easy-to-read stories about star athletes, helpful instructional tips from the pros, and humor, comics, and activities. SI Kids is a great way to encourage kids to read, and it has won highest honors from the Association of Educational Publishers and the Parents' Choice Award.

For more information go to: http://www.sikids.com/

Like SI on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SIKids

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I will receive a goody bag and magazine subscription in exchange for sharing this contest information. No compensation has been provided. As usual, all opinions are my own.