Balloon Time

I find it incredibly amazing what a difference Balloons can make when decorating for a party.  What is it about them that makes it so incredibly festive????  Recently Balloon Time contacted me to see if I would be interested in trying out their product (and offering one for you as well … but we’ll get to that in a little bit).  I have never had a chance to try one of these great kits out for myself before, so I was very excited.

It comes perfectly packaged in this great box that is super easy to open.  Complete with a variety of both latex and mylar balloons, this kit can be used for one or several occasions.  I can think of a ton of uses for these balloons, but I’ll let you tell me what you think instead.

You can find Balloon Time kits on their website at www.balloontime.com.  You are highly encouraged to sign up for their Balloon Time Party Club. Party Club members have access to advice and ideas from their party planning expert, Penny Warner, as well as receiving the Celebrations e-newsletter.  Their website can help you locate Balloon Time kits in a store near you.

They also have a very fun contest going on nationwide right now, it’s their second “Put a Face on Fun” contest, which is a child’s chance to be featured on millions of Balloon Time Helium Balloon Kits across the country. The winner will also receive a $1,500 toward his or her education. Balloon Time also has a mobile tour that will stop at various places throughout the country to register kids.

Balloon Time has offered you the opportunity to win one of their Combo Kits (includes 20 latex balloons and 5 foil balloons).   All you have to do to enter is visit www.balloontime.com (and maybe even the contest site at www.putafaceonfun.com) and see what they have to offer.   When you’re done come back here and leave a comment telling all of us some great ways that balloons can help brighten a day or make a party more festive.

Be sure to enter this contest by July 28th. 

Wiggle, Giggle, Learn

This contest has ended. Remember to take advantage of the great discount they are offering! For more great contests be sure to subscribe for Froggy Reviews updates and check back often!

I’m thrilled to introduce you to a very fun, brand new company that offers a unique and diverse learning system for toddlers and preschoolers.  Wiggle, Giggle, Learn is owned by Tracey Stuckey and when shey contacted me and asked if I would try out some of the products with my little ones, I was very excited! 

Tracey (she’ll introduce herself and her company a little later) compiled product specifically to meet the needs of my children.  She breaks down activity plans for specific ages … and I mean SPECIFIC!  If your child is 2 years and 2 months old, there is a specific activity plan for that month.  There’s also some great finger plays, nursery rhymes, coloring pages and much more! 

How about setting up a weekly family field trip?  She offers great ideas of how to make those fun and very educational for your preschooler.  I found that it was encouraging and even empowering as a parent to have such detailed information that I knew was age appropriate for my children.  Keeping twin toddlers entertained and getting them to participate can be nearly impossible, and I had never found a program that helped me acheive those goals.

A little bit about Tracey:

I am a National Board Certified teacher (the highest certification a teacher can earn – much like board certified physicians, lawyers and accountants) who has taught kindergarten for 15 years. I continue to work with teachers through facilitating workshops on accelerated learning, developing instruction for the 21st century and developmentally appropriate practice for pre-k through high school teachers. My twin sister Stacey, the entrepreneur and business mind of the family, encouraged me to share my talents and knowledge with more parents by starting Wiggle Giggle Learn.

Wiggle Giggle Learn’s mission is to advance the intellectual and social abilities of all children by empowering parents with the knowledge and tools necessary for teaching their children to learn to flourish from birth… and to work in our communities to promote learning as we seek to improve education. The passage of the No Child Left Behind Law left states’ scrambling to increase the rigor of their academic standards. This affects pre-k and kindergarten by pushing curriculum down that once belonged exclusively in first grade. Children are reading and writing paragraphs at the end of kindergarten in many states today. Parents are shocked at what their children must learn in only 180 days in kindergarten.

As a master teacher, I know that the right preparation and home learning environment from birth will make the transition into this academic kindergarten less traumatic and schools will be able to teach at a higher level when students come prepared. It is for this reason that I wrote the Wiggle Giggle Learn program that consists of weekly activity plans from birth to age four. When a child turns four, our project plans help the little one engage in deeper critical thinking, problem solving and vocabulary-based studies. 

Wiggle Giggle Learn was named as a top ten finalist in the Seeds for Success: Empowering women entrepreneurs grant, given by Yahoo! Small business and Carolyn Kepcher’s (formerly Donald Trump’s assistant) new firm, Finding What Matters. Their products are being used in homes, daycares and by nannies across the US and Australia.

Click here to get great sample plans and resources. You can also visit their blog where they answer parent’s questions about child development as well as offering advice and activities from Wiggle Giggle Learn!  Tracey also has a personal blog where she shares even more information about early childhood education and how schools must reform for the 21st century.

Whew, I know that’s a lot of information, but I have honestly NEVER seen anything as dynamic and all encompassing as this program! 

Tracey is offering a 25% discount for my readers!!  So hop over to their site and enter the code baby by August 30, 2008!

She has also offered a giveaway!!!!  TWO OF YOU WILL win a Starter CD package {created for the appropriate ages of your child(ren)} worth $139.95 (see the details here)!!!  I am so very excited to offer this!  Here’s how to enter ….

• Visit Wiggle Giggle Learn, read their tips and advice, look at the samples and resources they offer and the great packages they have available for families (hey it’s a huge prize … totally worth a few extra minutes right?).
• Come back here and leave a comment telling us what you would love about having a program like this in your home!

Just be sure to enter by July 21st for your chance to win!

Bella Symphony

This contest has ended and the winner is comment number 18 – Lissa. Thank you all for participating!

Bella Symphony offers unique and custom made products for babies and children.  I asked Becky, owner of Belly Symphony to tell us why she started her business:

BellaSymphony began back in the Spring of 2006 as I waited to have my newest addition, Bella.  With so many baby accessories and choices, I wanted accessories that had a rockabilly and hot rod flair. As time went on and new fabric choices became available, BellaSymphony slowly began adding retro, modern, and hip prints.

Bella Symphony offers a large variety of handcrafted baby accessories which includes everything you need. Products for keeping baby warm (blankets), changing baby (diaper accessories), dressing baby (onesies and neckties), feeding baby (burp cloths, nursing wraps and so on), Tutus, hair accessories, and much more!

The most popular products at Bella Symphony are a variety of tutus from their BellaSmphony Tutu Collection (made with yard upon yard of soft and fluffy tulle, and the option to add embellishments) and their ultra plush blankets with fun designer prints.

Bella Symphony has offered a great discount for my readers! Just enter the code A Frog In My Soup before checkout to receive 10% off your order (discount expires June 30th)!

They are also offering one lucky commenter a very fun Funky Eyelash and Satin Lovey!!!!! This lovey is so sweet and at 15″ by 18″ these are the perfect accessory for any busy baby! Here’s how to enter:

~ Visit Bella Symphony and take a look around.
~ Come back here and leave a comment mentioning your favorite product and/or suggestion.

Bella Symphony ships worldwide, so this contest is NOT limited to US addresses Be sure to enter by June 13th!

The Three Caballeros ~ Contest

This contest has ended – thank you for your participation!  We’ll be offering more great giveaways soon so be sure to sign up for updates so that you are notified as soon as we do! In the meantime don’t forget to enter all the latest contests at www.afroginmysoup.com.

Two Academy Award Nominated Disney Classics were released together on DVD yesterday – read on to see how you can enter to win a copy for your family!  The Classic Caballeros Collection: Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros are available now on DVD and Disney Blu Ray and includes some great bonus features as well. 

Your family will head south of the border with Goofy, Donald Duck and even Walt Disney himself as they have many adventures in Latin America.  This colorful, fun combination provides plenty of entertainment for your family and is a fun way to introduce another culture as well.  Offering great music and characters both of these movies were nominated for Academy Awards! 

My family had the opportunity to preview this set over the weekend and the boys were seriously entertained!  The antics of the classic Disney characters kept my children in stitches and they enjoyed the bonus features as well.  I highly recommend this set as a simply great way to spend family night together.

Here’s a clip from the movie:

 

We are thrilled to be able to offer three of you the opportunity to win a copy of this DVD for your family!  To enter, simply leave a comment on this post, and if you have a moment, mention one of your favorite classic Disney Movies Be sure to enter (and tell your friends too) by Wed. May 7th!