Entertain Kids as they Learn this Summer With Activity Books from The Quarto Group-Giveaway

July 11, 2017 by Kathryn 59 Comments

With summer break underway, I’ve already had a few days of dealing with restless children desperately looking for something to do. While we’re lucky enough to be in a neighbourhood with plenty of kids to play with, there are still hours in the day where both my boys are roaming the house restlessly, getting in my way as they look for something to occupy them. Of course, the fact I limit their screen time during the summer months doesn’t make things any easier!

So this year, I found a new way to help keep my boys entertained: activity books! Recently The Quarto Group sent me three of its newest titles to review and as soon as I saw them, I knew that my boys would be spending plenty of summer hours trying out the crafts and activities in every one.

Stick Sketch School: An Animal Artventure

[Read more…]

McDonald’s Happy Meals Just Got Happier with New Choices Between Toys and Books!

May 17, 2017 by Kathryn 21 Comments

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post, but my opinions are my own.

When I was a child, having a Happy Meal at McDonald’s was one of my favourite special treats for dinner. Choosing my meal item, having cookies for dessert, the surprise of the toy, every bit of it was something to be savoured. And while McDonald’s Happy Meals have changed a lot over the years, one thing hasn’t changed…how much they’re loved by children across Canada!

But now, McDonald’s Canada has found a way to make Happy Meals even happier, and it’s one I couldn’t be more excited about. Thanks to a great new partnership with Kids Can Press and First Book Canada, children will have one more way to personalize their Happy Meal by choosing between a toy and a book, starting today! [Read more…]

The Epic Big Nate Hardcover Collector’s Book is Epic Fun for the Holidays-Giveaway

November 2, 2016 by Kathryn 66 Comments

If you’ve got an older school-aged boy in the house, you may have already heard of Big Nate. The loveable sixth-grade hero of the Big Nate cartoon strip and book series may be a bit of a self-absorbed underachiever, but his goofy demeanour and love of pranks have made him a favourite of kids across North America. Now, just in time for the holidays, Big Nate is coming to bookshelves in a big way with the release of the hardcover collector’s book Epic Big Nate!

This beautiful book celebrates 25 years of the Big Nate comic strip with hundreds of cartoons specially selected by cartoonist Lincoln Peirce, information on the history and evolution of the comic over the years and an extensive Q&A with Peirce and his equally popular counterpart Jeff Kinney, author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. While some of the book might be a little heavy for school-aged readers, the many cartoons will keep them entertained regardless and the book is sure to become a treasured heirloom in years to come. [Read more…]

Get Kids Excited About Reading with the Marmalade Books Subscription Box-Giveaway

October 18, 2016 by Kathryn 70 Comments

If there’s one thing that almost every one of my friends and family members know about me, it’s that I love to read. And because of that, I’m a big believer in the importance of literacy. I’ve been reading to my boys every night since they were babies and both of them love to read on their own as well. That’s why I love the concept behind Marmalade Books.

This brand new Canadian-based company offers a monthly subscription box of age-appropriate books chosen for their quality and entertainment value to help build a generation of readers. Available in customized boxes for three different reading levels, there’s a Marmalade Books box for kids of all ages! Recently I received one of the Middle Grade Novel boxes to review and I couldn’t wait to see what it was like.

[Read more…]

Escape to the Wilderness with Disney’s The Jungle Book on Blu-ray and DVD

September 13, 2016 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

There are some children’s movies that I watch only because my boys want to see them, and there are others that get me just as excited as my kids. This year, of all the children’s movies coming to theatres, Disney’s The Jungle Book was the one I most couldn’t wait to see. In fact, if I hadn’t been able to find a good time to take my boys to the movie, I would have gone on my own. When we headed to the theatre, I was bouncing with excitement. And as soon as the movie started, I knew it had been worth the wait. Here’s a brief synopsis:

In an epic adventure directed by Jon Favreau, Mowgli, a man-cub raised in the jungle by a family of wolves, embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery when he’s forced to abandon the only home he’s ever known. Featuring an all-star voice cast including Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley and Scarlett Johansson, The Jungle Book is stunning. [Read more…]

Keep Kids Learning this Summer with Hot Wheels FUNdamentals #PlayAdvocates

June 30, 2015 by Kathryn 19 Comments

With school out and my boys home every day, there’s plenty of playtime filling our hours right now! And while I don’t mind leaving my boys to their own creative devices for the majority of their summer vacation, I do still want them to have some intellectual stimulation as well. Zackary challenges his mind quite regularly with educational games and nightly reading, but finding fun learning activities for Benjamin is a little bit harder. Luckily, one of my boys’ very favourite brands, Hot Wheels, has come to the rescue!

My oldest son was a huge Hot Wheels collector when he was younger and at one point, he knew the name of every single one of his almost 200 Hot Wheels cars. (I didn’t even realize they had names until he asked me one day what the car’s name was and I found it printed on the bottom!) And while Benjamin wasn’t quite as obsessive about Hot Wheels as his brother, he also spent many happy hours playing with the tracks and racing the cars.

[Read more…]

Create Edible Masterpieces with Artisan Cake Company’s Visual Guide to Cake Decorating by Elizabeth Marek-Giveaway

April 16, 2015 by Kathryn 62 Comments

Ever since I was a child, I’ve loved cooking and baking. And perfecting new techniques when it comes to creating delicious dishes is always a fun experience. A few years ago I broke away from traditional iced birthday cakes and tried my hand at creating a fondant masterpiece for my son’s Super Mario Bros. birthday party. And I went from sloppily iced cupcakes to more intricate creations like spring cupcakes with “grass” frosting.

But my cake techniques still have a long way to go, and so I couldn’t resist the chance to check out the book Artisan Cake Company’s Visual Guide to Cake Decorating by Elizabeth Marek. This beautiful book isn’t just packed with decorating ideas. It also features useful recipes, lists of essential tools and step-by-step tutorials! [Read more…]

Make 2015 Your Year to #ReadMore with Best-Selling Books from Kobo-Giveaway

December 9, 2014 by Kathryn 29 Comments

When it came to using an eReader, I was a tough sell. I loved the feeling of holding a book in my hands and voraciously turning the pages. But one Mother’s Day weekend I was thinking about how to spend some gift cards I’d collected, and I decided to purchase a Kobo Glo. Within days of it arriving, I was addicted to my eReader.

One of the reasons I love my Kobo Glo so much is the fact that I can have so many books stored on a device that’s the same size as a small paperback novel. That convenience has actually caused me to read more than I did before having the eReader. And so when the Kobo eStore recently released the top ten best-selling books of 2014, I couldn’t wait to see if I had read one or two of them already.

[Read more…]