Starfall

Had to stay home from my Tuesday morning Moms' group today since Li'l Girlie has some tummy issues.  She didn't need to be in bed, but it still wasn't a good idea to have an active day.  What to do?

Perfect day for Starfall.com's Learn to Read with Phonics.  Since Li'l Girlie is only three, we've just used the first level of learning ABC's, and she really enjoys all the interactive pictures that go along with learning each letter and its sounds.  To her, it's sheer entertainment, but she's learned a ton from it.  That's my favorite kind of learning....so enjoyable that it's all fun and being proud of your accomplishments.  Here's a sample of what you'll find on the first level:



So what do your kids like to do when they're home sick? What other learning websites would you recommend for preschoolers?

Fishing for a Great Gift? Catch this Giveaway

Toys that keep your child entertained for hours are worth their weight in gold.  Ones that foster imagination, creative play and allow for several kids to play together are even better.  Another mommy blogger whom I've started following, The Five Fish, recently reviewed such a toy, the Step 2 LifeStyle Deluxe Kitchen.  She should know about the multiple-kid, multiple ages playability of this toy -- she has twin toddlers and a 6-year old who've all loved it.

And, she's giving one of these fab kitchens away, courtesy of Step 2.  Read her review and enter the giveaway for a chance at your child enjoying the cool food & utensil accessories, realistic appliance sounds and lots of storage space for all of his/her culinary creations. . . for free.

Li'l girlie is already interested in kitchen play; she empties out her cupboard in my kitchen daily and one of the few recognizeable-to-the-general-public words is 'bowl'.  She loves bowls, especially the one on our salad spinner.  I could see her going nuts over this kitchen and its play food and dishes, and I'll probably play with it a ton too if we won, truth be told.  I love to cook, and am excited to continue fostering a passion for it in my daughter.

Thanks for giving away one of these awesome toys, Five Fish!   We all love the opportunity to get free cool toys like this for our kids to foster their imaginations.

A Home Worth Buying in Any Market

We're so proud. Our daughter became a homeowner at 11 months old. Her grandparents paid cash for it and gave it to her as a gift, so there's not even a chance of her defaulting on the mortgage. Granted, she's taller than parts of its plastic roof and the gutter plays 'the eensy weensy spider', but it's got some of the best features a toddler could want. Mommy likes playing with it too, she has to admit. Plus, it keeps Samantha having fun and learning, so what's there not to love?

We all wonder if we're making a good investment when we fork over a larger amount of money for something, toys included. Samantha and her cousin each have Fisher Price Learning Homes, and both homes have gotten heavy use. Like most toddlers, Samantha loves to imitate what the big people do, so ringing the Learning Home's doorbell, opening and closing the mailbox to get her own little letters, turning a light on and off, and opening and closing a door have been favorite pasttimes.

Of course, there are a variety of not-so-realistic features like a spinning garden with a pink rabbit, a phone book of animals and the aforementioned musical gutter, but those have tons of appeal as well. Here's Sam demonstrating the gutter ball drop in its counting mode:



Like the 'welcome home' song that the Learning Home plays, "you can learn the alphabet, colors, shapes and so much more." through the house's sounds and happy music. Yes, you will memorize most of what the home says, but the phrases and songs are a lot more appealing than most toys. (At least in my opinion; my husband doesn't like them as much, but I'm the one around the house more often. ;) Plus, he likes the sounds of some singing maracas that bug the heck out of me.)

Not surprising to me, the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio gave a high rating to the Fisher Price Learning Home (look for the comments with the Learning Kitchen). We've made up a number of games with the home too. I'll knock on the window, and when Sam opens it, her stuffed dog pops his head out and barks at her. Good for lots of giggles. We like hooting like the owl and crowing like the rooster with the night and day dial, and putting junk mail postcards and small toys in the mailbox for each other to discover.

For lots of fun for your 1-year old, it's well, well worth the $60 to $70 for the great times to be had with the Learning Home. Imagine how much you'll get done while your toddler has a blast.