Sustainable Toys From @Tegu Create an Imaginative Environment #GivingGreen #NGGiftGuide

 Sometimes I run across a toy that I just absolutely love as soon as I see it. Recently I saw this wooden car on one of my favorite sites, Tegu, and had to have it for my son! Not only is it a working car, it's made out of magnetic wooden blocks and can be configured different ways. How awesome is that?

Tegu is a magnetic wooden block company based out of Honduras that had the vision of a for-profit business that would effect the lives of Hondurans. Their name is derived from the city their blocks are manufactured in. From the fully independent toy company they are to the partnership they've created with local schools, Tegu is changing employment standards in Central America for the better.

Beautifully Crafted Wooden Blocks
The wood that creates these beautiful blocks is hand picked by local Honduran cooperatives who are certified by the Forest Stewardship Counsel. The FSC processes facilitate the forest's natural regeneration cycle. By being selective with what trees are cut down they can make sure that the forest has time to replenish and regrow before cutting more trees down.

The magical combination of Honduran hardwood and magnets creates an imaginative tool for children to learn and expand their abilities to play and create. The "click-clack" sound of two Tegu blocks coming together ignites new possibilities and allows children to push and pull new ideas together over and over.

The Hatch
Our Hatch car from Tegu includes 10 classic Tegu magnetic wooden blocks and a super awesome compact canopy to create the look of a classic car. With the included wheels, this car really moves! And can be used to create more than just a car if wanted.

As soon as my son took the blocks out of the package he was putting them together like he'd done it a hundred times. But when he wanted to make the car just like it was on the box, he asked Daddy for help. Together they figured it out and in no time they were racing their car down the sidewalk.

Creative Exploration
Tegu not only has these awesome cars, they also have an extensive selection of amazing block sets. From pocket versions that are easy to take in your day bag to full sets perfect for the classroom, there's a Tegu block set for everyone.

I love the variety. And that doesn't stop with the sizes of the sets. The sets also come in different colors. The perfect classic look of the Natural colors is a great way to show off the gorgeous beauty of this Honduran hardwood. Like the look of the classic wood but want something a bit richer? Check out the Mahogany stained sets. Simple and elegant but still just as durable and fun as the Natural sets.

Need a little color in your life? Well there's room for that with the beautiful blues, oranges, grays and greens of the Nelson sets and the more natural greens and browns of the Jungle sets.

Tegu offers a great selection of blocks and cars that are perfect for this gift giving season! Head on over to the Tegu website to check out the vast selection of blocks available and fall in love with the company just like I have.

Want to keep up with the latest Tegu has to offer? Like Tegu on Facebook or follow them on twitter at @Tegu.

Tegu is a proud sponsor of the Noise Girls Winter Gift Guide giveaway. Head on over to see great ideas for you and your family this Winter season.

Head back to enter to win one of three amazing prize packages featured in this giveaway, one of which includes the winners choice of a Hatch or Dart Tegu car. And make sure to check out our complete Winter Gift Guide for ideas on what to give this holiday season.

Hexbug Warriors Battling Robots and Battle Arena

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My kids are absolutely obsessed with the HEXBUG line. From the first moment they held their first little vibrating nanos they were hooked. They would race their bugs together in different habitats and create elaborate mazes for them to crawl through.

Then we upgraded to a larger HEXBUG collection by adding the Crab, the Scarab, and the Spider. And just as they loved their Nanos, they loved this larger version of HEXBUG equally as well.

One of the major differences between HEXBUG and other toys on the market is it's simplicity. The fact that my kids can turn them on and off and control where they go by following them around and blocking them with their hands, feet, and other toys makes them feel in control.

HEXBUG Creates a Positive Robotic Experience
If you haven't yet heard of HEXBUG, let me take a step back and share a little information about these fun toys. From the HEXBUG website:

"By leveraging our robotics expertise, we entered the toy industry in 2007 with the launch of the HEXBUG Micro Robotic Creatures product line. HEXBUG was designed to give children a positive experience with robotics at a young age. Our passion for robotics, as demonstrated by our VEX Robotics program, was the main catalyst fueling HEXBUG's inception. Hence, the brand was born! 

People are drawn to the HEXBUG brand for our products’ fascinating behavior, intelligent bug-like attributes and eye-catching packaging. Some of the products are so animated, they even fool cats, dogs and some humans into thinking they are alive!"

I can attest to how fascinating these little bugs are. They have kept my children occupied for hours on end playing and exploring the world around them. And they've definitely scared a guest or two into thinking they were real bugs!

A New Bug In Town
When I saw the HEXBUG Warriors at BlogHer'12 this year I was ecstatic and knew that these would be the "it" gift to give this year. Especially for my 3 1/2 year old son and 5 year old nephew. How could they not love these amazing Warriors?

Not only do they come with armor, but they have removable parts! And they can battle each other in this awesome Battle Arena. The Battle Arena comes with two HEXBUG Warriors to battle together. Additional HEXBUG Warriors can also be purchased.

These HEXBUG line come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. And I'm sure that your child will be able to find their perfect bug.

The latest line now not only comes with their choice of color, but also with their choice of weapon and armor as well. From the spinning blades of Bionika to the spinning ninja-star like armor of Viridia, these bugs are meant for battle! And boy do they put on a show.

Now the HEXBUG line may be recommended for children between 5-12 years but my younger children are quite obsessed. And my daughter has become even more obsessed than my son (if that's even possible!). Since we like to play with our kids, we are usually supervising them closely as we play together with the HEXBUG collections.

Not Just for Boys
The HEXBUG Warriors might look like the perfect gift for boys, but don't dismiss them for girls. My daughter, as I've said before, loves these little robotic creatures. She's very much the tomboy when she wants to be and idolizes anything her older brother loves. That includes HEXBUG.

Not only can these HEXBUG lines inspire kids to think outside the box, they might spark some interest for robotics and engineering. With the interest my daughter has for all things mechanical, I could totally see her creating great things in the near future. And if I can supply her with innovative toys that get her thinking, I will do just that.

The Perfect Gift from Stocking Stuffer to Ultimate Surprise
With the varieties of sizes, shapes, and styles, the HEXBUG line is the perfect gift this holiday season. From stocking stuffers to larger gifts that will make any child smile with delight, if you're looking for an innovative, fun toy this holiday season, you have to check out HEXBUG and their new line of HEXBUG Warriors! I know we'll have a few under our tree this Christmas.

To find out more about HEXBUG, visit their website. And make sure to visit HEXBUG on Facebook and follow them on Twitter at @HEXBUG to keep up with the latest on all buggy news.

What's on the top of your child's holiday wishlist? 

Disclaimer: I received a HEXBUG Warriors Battle Arena for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Playing Games with the Perplexus Original 3D Maze and Perplexus Rookie

We love to play games. Whether its physical games like tag or Elefun or mental games like picture matching. So when we received our Perplexus Original and Perplexus Rookie 3D mazes from PlaSmart, the makers of the PlasmaBike and PlasmaCar, we were excited to test them out and see how far we could go!

The Perplexus Original a physical puzzle maze that you control with your hands and your wit. The sphere contains a 3-D puzzle complete with turns, twists, and drops!  And the best part is, this maze is great for kids 8-108. It's quite amusing watching an adult get stumped while a child continues to go through the maze in no time!

The Perplexus Rookie is perfect for the under 8 crowd. Built with younger kids in mind, this Rookie is great for the 4 and up crowd. But you might be surprised to see that once your 4 year old masters the Rookie, they graduate to the Original in no time while the adults are still trying to figure out the Rookie.

I absolutely love how this game promotes the fine tuning of hand-eye coordination. It makes my son think, really think, about what his next move will be and how he can keep the ball from falling off the track.

He knows how to get the ball to the starting point and from there takes off slowly to try and make sure he's gently guiding the ball instead of sending it into orbit quickly. Once he gets through the first part he usually asks for a bit of help. And I'm happy to helpfully guide his hands through a few of the tougher spots.

As you can tell, he really gets into it. You can see the look of concentration on his face as he tries to maneuver through the stairs, flips, and turns.

The Perplexus Original and Perplexus Rookie are the perfect unique gift for any child or adult. They provide hours of unplugged entertainment and keep you guessing at every turn! And while a select few will master it in no time, those of us who aren't as quick will be able to take our time trying and trying again.

The patience this game is teaching my son is priceless!

Interested in purchasing a Perplexus 3D maze? 

Head on over to the Perplexus website and click on Where Can I Find One? You'll be able to check out where you can purchase your Perplexus maze locally (you can even purchase one in Switzerland!). Or you can head on over to Amazon.com and purchase the Perplexus Maze Game or Perplexus Rookie.

To learn more about the Perplexus family check them out on Facebook! You can also follow them on Twitter.

What's your favorite game to play with the kids? 

The Noise Girls have yet again put together an amazing giveaway event just for your family! And PlaSmart has joined in on the fun to offer one lucky reader a Perplexus 3D Maze in this giveaway.

The For the Family giveaway event starts on September 1st so please remember to hurry back and enter for your chance to win. You won't want to miss what we have to offer!



Disclaimer: I received a Perplexus Original and Perplexus Rookie for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.

 

Sidekix - The Toy You Take On-The-Go

Every kid needs a buddy. Someone they can play with, imagine and explore, and get creative. It helps when that buddy is less than a foot long and rolls up into a nice ball that makes it easy to carry around!

Sidekix are the solution to every kid's need for a buddy on-the-go. From cool ball that can snap onto a backpack, belt loop or lunch sack to a plush, soft, fun animal who's ready for an adventure, each Sidekix has it's own unique personality and is ready to play with the little one who's lucky enough to be paired with them.

We received Inferno in the mail last week and as soon as my daughter saw the ball she squealed and yelled, "Bah, bah, bah!"

Then I showed her what it really was:

And she immediately started loving on it. Kissing, petting, playing.

It was like she and Inferno had always been buddies and she was so excited to have a Sidekix of her own. Until her brother woke up from his nap. And wondered where his Sidekix was. Oops! Guess we'll be ordering a few more in the very near future.

Potty training rewards? Perfect!

Each loveable plush comes with their own identifying mark letting you know who they are. There are 5 total and include Mojo the Dog, Click-A-Dee-Chick-A-Dee the Chick, Savannah the Zebra (whom my son wants), Bamboo the Panda, and our little Inferno the dragon.

They can be used as a ball to kick and tossed around, or flip them inside out to play with as a stuffed animal would. My kids have attached our Inferno to their back pack, balance bike, wagon, jean belt loop, and my purse. I absolutely love how portable this little guy is!

Mealtime at restaurants are a heck of a lot smoother with Inferno around as well. Because he compactly fits into my diaper bag or purse, we can bring him around for pre-dinner play as we wait for our food.

My kids have quickly fallen in love with this little guy and we can't wait to adopt a few more to join our family. Interested in purchasing one of your own or want to find out more? 

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Cruisin' Around Town on Our New PlasmaBike

Our family is now an official PlaSmart Family!

Both of my children love playing outside. We've even gone so far as to making our front yard a playground for the both of them complete with a play structure, sand box, and fun outside toys. But their favorite toys to play on are their PlasmaCar and PlasmaBike.

My daughter is 18 months old and still a bit too young for the PlasmaCar so when we received the PlasmaBike we knew it'd be the perfect ride for her to play on while her brother enjoyed his PlasmaCar.

The PlasmaBike not only provides a fun toy for my kids to play on, it also helps them learn balance so that they'll better transition to a bike with two wheels and a pedal. Say good-bye to the days of training wheels!

And just like the PlasmaCar, the PlasmaBike requires no batteries, gears, or pedals.

Being able to say goodbye to toys that require too much thinking to use has been a relief for me. We definitely prefer simple, fun toys that don't need too much maintenance and can be used quickly. And we've enjoyed both the PlasmaCar and PlasmaBike at home and on the go (we take them to the beach and use them on the boardwalk!).

My daughter was able to hop onto the bike within 3 minutes of getting the bike out of the box when it was delivered. And most of that time was spent convincing me to open the door for her so she could get out quickly to play. She knew exactly what to do once she was outside and quickly climbed onto her bike.

Since she's a bit on the petite side she didn't quite reach the floor yet with her feet so with the help of Daddy she was able to ride around alongside her brother in a friendly, competitive race.

If you're looking for a great gift for your child, grandchild, or friend I highly suggest checing out PlaSmart's line of great toys. Then not only have something for any child, some of their toys also are great for adult play as well (although there is a weight limit to check first!).

Want to purchase a PlasmaBike?

 You can purchase a PlasmaBike at various retailers online. Both Amazon.com and Target.com carry them in stock. Choose the color that works best for you and buy your PlasmaBike today!

You can also keep up with what's new at PlaSmart by liking them on Facebook and following them on Twitter.

PlaSmart has been kind enough to offer one lucky winner a PlasmaBike of their own in the Summer Sizzle giveaway event.

The giveaway event will be held from June 24th to June 30th and will feature a variety of family-friendly giveaways! Make sure to head back and enter on the 24th then check out the other amazing giveaways on the other blogs.



Disclaimer: I received a PlasmaBike for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.

Great Toys for Summer Fun {PlasmaCar Review}

Are you looking for a great toy for summer fun? Hoping to get your kids outside to expel some of that energy they have built up after the school year has ended? Take a look at the fun my son is having on his new PlasmaCar and tell me this isn't the perfect solution!

I cannot tell you how much fun we've been having since we received this awesome PlasmaCar in the mail last week! Not only do my kids have fun riding on the PlasmaCar but adults do as well. Since we live on a cul-de-sac we brought the PlasmaCar out for a spin on the road. Once our neighbors saw what we were doing they wanted in on the fun too!

The PlasmaCar doesn't plug in, charge up, or require batteries. It runs on the power that you put into it. Simply sit down and start swerving and cruising around by wiggling the handlebars. And it can hold up to 220 pounds on smooth, flat surfaces so both kids and their parents can drive around on them.

I loved the fact that not only could my 3 year old get on and go, he didn't need any instructions to do so. He's been struggling with trying to learn how to pedal his tricycle and just can't get it down. Now he can go around the neighborhood in his PlasmaCar instead of a bike and he has a blast doing it.

We love our yellow PlasmaCar but they also come in other color combos as well including blue, red, purple, and pink. And as soon as my daughter is old enough (most likely Christmas) we'll be getting her a red one! She is very eager for one of her own and loves sitting with Daddy. Brother doesn't like that they're sitting on "his" car. Can you tell? She'll have to wait until she gets her own to start riding, though.

Safety First!

I know that we're going to get years of use out of this toy. It's not something I see my kids growing out of or getting tired of fairly quickly. And the PlasmaCar is sold in at least 10 stores around us so we can easily pick up another one without waiting for it to be shipped to our home. To find a retailer near you simply go here and enter your zip code.

Want to keep up with the latest in PlasmaCar news? Follow them on Twitter and Like them on Facebook. Then you'll be the first to know of new and exciting PlasmaCar happenings.

Do you have a PlasmaCar? What do you love best about it? 

The makers of PlasmaCar have kindly offered to give one lucky Simmworks Family Blog reader a PlasmaCar of their own (a $59.99 value) in the Summer Backyard Blast Giveaway Hop!

Make sure to head on back to this blog between June 1st and June 15th to enter to win my summer fun prize package for Summer Backyard Blast! Then enter all of the other wonderful blogs linking up to this event.

Want to purchase a PlasmaCar for some summer fun of your own now? Head over to the PlasmaCar website and see what retailer is closest to you.




Disclaimer: I received a PlasmaCar for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
 

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Top 10 Gifts for a One Year Old

As it nears closer and closer to my daughter's first birthday (how did that happen!?) I've began to think about what top ten items she would love to receive from us as well as suggestions for friends and family members who want to give her something.

Some of the items I've thought of are items we've already used and love with our son and others are new items we've played with or used at friends houses and play places. Do you have any other suggestions to entertain a 1 year old? You know, besides cardboard boxes and pots (and the given money for her college education)? I'd love to hear them!

I've included pinks and purples in with the blues and greens because honestly, my kids don't care about the colors yet, just about the toy and playing with it. My son plays with dolls and my daughter plays with trucks. And I'm cool with that. 

1. Little Tikes Push and Ride Doll Walker
We played with this push toy at our last visit to Kidding Around and Miss M just loved it! She sat on it and let me push her around. And the whole time she was on it she was grinning from ear to ear. When I stopped pushing her long enough to take a picture she started crying. That was immediately resolved by pushing her around again. And after we were done with riding on it she used it to "walk" around a bit. Win-win because it serves two purposes. 

2. Music Instruments
My daughter is already in love with drums. She constantly steals her brother's drum and drum stick and beats just about everything she can find on in (including poor Sophie the Giraffe). So when I saw this music set from one of my favorite toy brands, B. Toys,  I knew that it would be a perfect fit for our home. And while we haven't used it yet I've heard rave reviews from many friends about the instruments included and the durability of the product.

3. Pull-Along Toys
Now this is a toy that my son received for his first birthday by our dear friend Alanna. And he still plays with it. He's almost three! He was able to play with this toy as he crawled around on the ground, when he started to toddle and now he runs through the house with the snail behind him. I've never seen a snail run so fast!

This snail has taken quite a few beatings over the years but still looks as new as the day we took it out of the box. Miss M is having quite a fun time chasing after the snail, and her brother. And I love Plan Toys. They are an awesome toy company that use green materials and green manufacturing. They not only make quality toys, they are a quality company I love to support.

4. Fisher-Price Little People: Animal Sounds Farm
Every little kid needs a Little People farm. Seriously. They're awesome. I find myself gravitating to our farm every time I go into my son's bedroom to play. And Miss M loves playing with her brother's animals and farm. She even puts the animals in and out of the barn. There's also a tractor that goes greatly with this farm. The farmer gets to ride around in the tractor and a little piggy pops out of the hay bale in the back. M laughs every time she sees it!

5. Baby Stella Doll
My son asked for his first doll at about 18 months so we purchased one at the mall we were at and didn't really put much thought into what doll we bought. We have three baby dolls now but whenever my daughter tries to play with them (or gnaw on them) her brother quickly takes them away. So I know I need to get a doll just for her. This Baby Stella doll is perfect. Soft, small and cute, just like her! And I'm considering getting a boy doll for my son so he can play with her.

6. Activity Cube
We got this awesome Activity Cube for my son's first birthday. He and his friends still play with it to this day. This cube is a great investment. It is a great toy from kids ages 6 months to 3+ years. And even though I can't find our exact cube for sale anymore I still have seen great reviews for it. And there are plenty of activity cubes out there to choose from.

7. Bath Accessories
While this isn't technically a toy we really love our faucet covers. When our kids started getting more mobile in the bath tub we knew we needed to protect their little noggins from hitting the bath faucet. And we wanted to make bathtime fun. So we got a super cool Crayola octopus bath faucet cover and were gifted an equally cool Boon Flo cover.

And toys to go in the bath as well as something to scoop up the toys (like this awesome Boon frog) are also great gifts for a 1 year old. I know my son loves playing with his Discovery Toys stacking cups and his Fisher Price Amazing Animals™ Tubtime Tugboat™ the most. Baths stop being about getting clean and start being about having fun in the water!

8. Sensory Balls
My kids love balls. They love to throw them, attempt to eat them and bounce them. We have them all over the house. But the best ones I've found for one year olds are the ones they can get a grip on. We found a large pack of sensory balls at Costco last Christmas and they have held up very well. Half are in the house and half are in the front yard. What kid doesn't like to play with balls?

9. Blocks
We have many different sets of blocks for the kids to play with. From soft, cloth blocks to squishy, squeaky blocks to wooden blocks. Each different set helps teach the kids to stack, line up and make fun structures. Every kid needs a good set of blocks to play with. And the best part about these sets is that they don't just last for a small period of time, most of the block sets we own will be used for a few years. Especially the wooden one. That's a favorite of my son's right now (thanks Aunt Miranda for buying them!).

10. Anywhere Chair
Every kid needs their own sized chair. Whether it be the Anywhere Chair or one similar, smaller, child-size chairs always seem to attract kids of all ages. My son loves to grab a book and pretend to read in his chair. He also likes to watch movies while sitting in it. When he was 18 months old I remember that he grabbed his chair, dragged it into the living room and pushed it into place between mine and my husbands chairs. It was so adorable! He wanted to be just like us. So we know we'll have to get our daughter one of her own for Christmas this year. It just makes sense!

This is not a sponsored post. I either own and have used the toys with my own children, or have heard great reviews from reliable friends and family. I was not compensated by any of the companies listed above. The opinions stated are my own.