toys

Must-Have Toys to Keep Kids Entertained When the Temperature Drops

Even though Saskatchewan usually enjoys fairly pleasant weather throughout the months of September and October, this year was definitely an exception. Our first snow fell shortly after school started, and we’ve had freezing temperatures and highs in the low single digits ever since. That means finding indoor activities my boys can enjoy is a priority […]

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Kids Love Sailing the Seas with the Thomas & Friends Adventures Sea Monster Pirate Set

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Mattel Canada. All opinions are 100% mine. When my youngest brother was a toddler, he loved watching Thomas, the plucky tank engine, and his friends as the got into mischief and had adventures on the Island of Sodor. When I had my own boys

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Create a New Best Friend with an Amazing Promotion from Build-a-Bear Workshop on National Teddy Bear Day

My boys have always loved their special stuffed animal friends. From the giant duck my middle child found at a second-hand shop to the tiny husky puppy my oldest has had since he was a baby, their stuffies have been there through the years to cuddle them when they’re sad, talk to them when they’re

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Parents and Babies Love Blankets, Toys and Gifts from Bunnies By The Bay

When it comes to shopping for babies, something super soft and super sweet is always sure to be appreciated. And if you’re looking for gifts for a new little one for this holiday season, look no further than the adorable selection of clothing, toys, blankets and more at Bunnies By The Bay! This online boutique

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Invite a Magical Friend to Your House with The Irish Fairy Door Company-Giveaway

One of the things I loved most about Ireland was the eerie fairy tale-like quality of so many of its areas. Of course, most fairies originated in Ireland and when you’re driving through the winding roads surrounded by rock walls and trees, it’s easy to see why the magical sprites loved the area so much!

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TMNT Fans Will Love the Mega Bloks Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Battle Truck

There are some things my boys enjoy that I don’t understand at all. Their obsession with watching other people play video games on YouTube is something that goes right over my head. And their love of jump scare games completely confuses me. But there are some types of entertainment that we can all agree on,

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Betty Spaghetty Dolls and Little Live Pets Lil’ Frogs are Hot New Toys this Fall

Looking for the hottest new toys for fall fun this year? Look no further! Just in time for the holidays, Little Live Pets and Betty Spaghetty have released some great new options for boys and girls alike. I’ve been a fan of the Little Live Pets line for ages now and every year, the company

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benjamin clean closet side view

Kid’s DIY Toy Closet Makeover Made Easy with RBC Rewards Credit Card and The Home Depot Canada

With the boys back in school for six hours a day, I finally have extra time to tackle some of the jobs that have been piling up around the house. For me, autumn is a season of organizing for the upcoming cold weather months and this year, I’ve got a lot of organizing to do!

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Delight Your Child this Christmas with the Jake and the Never Land Pirates Mighty Colossus from Disney Junior

When it comes to putting smiles on children’s faces, nobody knows quite how to get the job done like Disney Junior. Both my boys used to love the fun and engaging shows on the popular channel, from the adventurous Jake in Jake and the Never Land Pirates to clever Oso the bear from Special Agent

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Mattel Has 9 Holiday Gifts That Are This Year’s #ListToppers for Kids-Giveaway #PlayAdvocate

Holiday shopping is in full swing right now, and if you’re still looking for that perfect gift, Mattel has some great suggestions for you! From trains that do tricks to trendy tree decorations, there’s something for kids of all ages in this collection! Check out the nine toys that are sure to be list toppers

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Let Your Kids Get a Little Gross this Christmas with The Ugglys Pet Shop-Giveaway

Do your kids prefer weird and gross to cute and cuddly? Do they laugh hysterically at rude noises and bad smells? Does just saying the word “fart” cause a reaction in your house? Then this Christmas, the perfect gift may just be The Ugglys Pet Shop toys! These bizarre pets may not seem lovable, but

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Surprise Your Little Boy with the Hottest Holiday Gifts from Hasbro-Giveaway #PlayLikeHasbro

If you’re still hunting for the must-have Christmas gifts of the holiday season for boys, Hasbro has you covered with tons of great choices for little boys of all ages! From Transformers to Star Wars, Hasbro Canada has gifts for whatever hero your child is cheering on at the moment! Here are my top three

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The LeapFrog #LeapTV is a Holiday Gift that Gets Kids Moving and Learning #LeapFrogMomSquad

My boys love gaming systems and while I understand the appeal (I’m a bit of a gamer myself), I don’t like how long they sometimes spend sitting and staring blankly at the television. As for the games themselves, some have cleverly incorporated educational content into the games, but others provide almost no intellectual benefit. So

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These 6 Gifts from Mattel are Holiday List Toppers this Christmas

The holidays are quickly approaching and if you’ve started the search for that perfect gift for your little one, Mattel Canada has you covered with must-have gifts that are sure to be List Toppers! From toddler to tween, there’s something new for everyone on your Christmas list! Check out these six amazing recommendations for holiday

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Learning Through Pretend Play with Toys from LeapFrog #LeapFrogMomSquad

While I do love the modern and trendy LeapFrog gaming systems and tablets, I have to admit that I’ve always had a special fondness in my heart for the company’s toddler toys. LeapFrog has a special talent for turning pretend play into a learning experience, and the brand new Number Lovin’ Oven and Scout’s Build

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Give Your Child an Epic Android Tablet Experience with the Kid-Safe LeapFrog Epic

I’ve shared many times before how much I love LeapFrog and its innovative, educational toys and games for children. We have a house full of LeapFrog toys including the brand new LeapPad Platinum tablet and my boys play with them all. But when I received the LeapFrog Epic to review, I wasn’t sure what benefits

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Get in the Halloween Spirit with a Monster High #BooYorkBooYork Screening Party-Giveaway #PlayAdvocate

Halloween is fast approaching and kids are already starting to bubble with anticipation. Channeling all that energy and excitement can be a challenge for a parent, but if you’ve got a little girl that just can’t wait to trick or treat, you may want to plan a little pre-celebration with a Monster High: Boo York,

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Have Fun Indoors All Winter Long with Tips from Hot Wheels-Giveaway #PlayAdvocate

Right now Saskatchewan is enjoying some gorgeous, unseasonable warmth and I couldn’t be happier about it. But I know that before long we’ll be spending more time indoors than out. Generally, that means my boys are playing and creating a little less as well since their space is more limited. But this year, I’ve got

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Inspire a Love of Music with Barbie Rock n’ Royals Dolls and DVD-Giveaway #BeSuper

When I was about five years old, my mom put me in piano lessons. I still remember those first lessons colouring cartoon pictures illustrating the different notes and practicing fingering exercises. At the time, there were certainly days that I didn’t want to sit and play piano. But that early introduction to music led to

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Teach Your Child Pet Responsibility with New Build-a-Bear Workshop Promise Pets

My youngest son absolutely loves animals and has a huge collection of plush animal friends to prove it. From a favourite fluffy bear to a wide-eyed monkey to a cute floppy-eared puppy, all of Benjamin’s animals have to be carefully arranged on his bed before I tuck him into bed each night. Yet even with

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Encourage Play and Learning with the Fisher-Price Little People Animal Friends Farm-Giveaway #PlayAdvocates

I’ve often commented on how much I love the Fisher-Price line of toys, not just because they’re designed to provide educational fun for children but also because they are so timeless. My very first toy ever, bought when my mom was eight months pregnant with me, was a Fisher-Price Happy Apple and that jingling plaything

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Surprise Your Disney Frozen Fan with Amazing Holiday Gifts from Showcase

Gifts from the hit Disney movie Frozen have been one of the hottest trends of the holidays this year and if you’re still looking for that perfect Frozen toy for your little fan, Showcase has you covered with Canada’s largest selection of Frozen merchandise! These are my personal top four favourite Disney Frozen toys available

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Find the Perfect Gift for Kids of All Ages on the Mattel Holiday Toys Website

If there’s one company that immediately springs to mind when it comes to holiday shopping for kids, it’s Mattel. Boys, girls, toddlers and tweens can all find a favourite toy among Mattel’s incredible collection. In fact, my oldest son once went through a Hot Wheels phase that lasted for years and even had me hunting

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Celebrate the Holidays with Exclusive New Toys from Build-a-Bear Workshop-Giveaway

In this house, it’s just not the holidays without at least one or two new fun-filled toys from Build-A-Bear Workshop! Whether we’re choosing a special stuffie for one of the cousins or I’m treating the boys to a new cuddly friend, Build-A-Bear has been a part of our Christmas for years now. And this year

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Toddlers Love Learning with the VTech Go! Go! Smart Animals Zoo Explorer Playset-Giveaway

It takes a special combination of elements for a toy to really appeal to a toddler. Bright colours, music, lights and plenty of interactive pieces help to keep little ones entertained for hours at a time and VTech has been an expert at creating toys that fit those requirements for a long time now. This

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Kids Will Love Learning this Christmas with the VTech InnoTab Max Tablet-Giveaway

It’s hard to believe it, but Christmas is only about six weeks away and my boys are already starting to get excited. The hunt to find the perfect toys for under the tree has begun and this year, VTech has a great new option for parents that want to combine fun and learning! The new

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Girls Will Love the Twisted Fun of New Monster High Freaky Fusion Movie and Dolls-Giveaway

Friendly, fashion-forward and just a little freaky…that’s the best way to describe the ghoulfriends of Monster High! These quirky characters are a huge hit with school-aged girls and now the Monster High crew is enjoying new adventures in the recently released movie Monster High Freaky Fusion! Here’s a brief synopsis of the movie: During the

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Let Your Kids Blast Up Some Fun with BOOMco Toys from Mattel #BOOMcoBLAST

My boys are always excited to check out the latest new toys and so when a large BOOMco box from Mattel arrived at the front door recently, Zackary and Benjamin were bouncing off the walls with excitement. This new line of blasters features fun soft tips that will stick to targets without damaging breakable household

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Kids Can Learn, Play and Record Memories with the VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch

Owning a smartwatch is all the rage right now and even kids are getting in on the fun thanks to VTech! Just in time for back-to-school, VTech Canada has released the VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch, a durable multi-tasking watch that lets kids learn as they play! This watch is great for teaching children to tell time,

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KRE-O Transformers: Age of Extinction Building Sets are Perfect for Summer Fun-Giveaway #BuildKREO

When I was a child, the highlight of my week used to be sitting down on Saturday to watch the Transformers cartoon. So when the first hit movie was released in 2007, I saw it as soon as I could. But while I love the movies, I think what I love even more about the

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New HEXBUG Aquabot and Battle Spider Toys are Tons of Robotic Fun

A few years ago, my boys discovered HEXBUG Nano, small mechanical robot bugs that use vibration technology to scoot around different tracks in an incredibly realistic manner. HEXBUG Nano bugs were a hit with children everywhere, but the company didn’t stop the innovation there! The HEXBUG company has recently created even more fun robotic creatures

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Little Girls Celebrate Canada’s Diversity with Maplelea Girls Dolls

One of the things I love so much about Canada is its diversity, and that’s why I’ve always loved Maplelea Girls. These large and realistic dolls are instantly appealing to both children and parents because of their wholesome look and realistic body type. But even better, each of the Maplelea Girls dolls has a unique

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Toddlers Learn to Pedal Quicker with the SmarTrike Touch Steering Chic 4-in-1 Tricycle-Giveaway

I still remember how exciting it was for me when my boys started learning to pedal a tricycle, but it was also a long process, especially since in the beginning I had to be bent down behind the tricycle pushing it to help my boys figure out how to use it! At the time, I

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Rice Krispies #TreatsForToys Custom Creations to Support Kids in Need this Christmas

Over the last month, I’ve been helping to spread the word about the Rice Krispies Treats for Toys program. Just create a Rice Krispies Treat toy, upload a picture of it to www.ricekrispies.ca and Kellogg’s Canada will donate $20 to the Salvation Army to help give a child in need a real toy this Christmas!

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Imagination Takes Off with the Fisher-Price Imaginext DC Super Friends Batcave-Giveaway

It’s hard being a preschooler and wanting to play with toys for older children. My youngest son was introduced to various superheroes by his brother, but most of the toys featuring those heroes are designed for older children. That’s why I love the Fisher-Price Imaginext line. Not only does it feature all kinds of great

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Let Your Child Create Customized Cars with the Hot Wheels Car Maker-Giveaway

Hot Wheels cars have been a hit in our household since my oldest son received his first one from Santa in his Christmas stocking when he was just one year old. Since then, he became a passionate collector and there was a time when he was able to tell me not just the name, but

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Hasbro Canada Toys are a Great Gift for Boys this Christmas-Giveaway

Every year, one of my favourite holiday moments is flipping through toy catalogues with my boys and checking out some of the newest and best toys available. And invariably, Hasbro has a collection of must-have toys that get my boys absolutely giddy about the upcoming holidays. This year is no exception and I was so

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Surprise Your Child with a New Festive Friend from Build-A-Bear Workshop-Giveaway

If there’s a company that knows how to celebrate the holidays in style, it has to be Build-A-Bear Workshop. Each year I wait eagerly to see what type of loveable Christmas characters the company will release and each year I’m impressed by how many choices there are for kids and adults alike. From adorable stocking

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Learning is Fun this Christmas with New Toys from LeapFrog-Giveaway

If you’re looking for a gift for your child that’s lots of fun and still educational, LeapFrog Canada toys are always a great choice. From toys for infants right up to school-age children and tons of educational value, a gift from LeapFrog is always a hit. My personal favourite toy from LeapFrog this year is

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Rice Krispies #TreatsforToys are a Fun Way to Give a Merry Christmas to a Child in Need

One of my favourite activities every Christmas is making holiday treats with my boys. There are some goodies that I whip up myself, but there are others that my boys help me create. We all love spending quality time together and of course, Zackary and Benjamin get very excited about eating their creations afterwards! This

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New Hello Kitty Dolls from Blip Toys are a Little Girl’s Best Friend

If you have a Hello Kitty fan in your life, she will love the brand new Hello Kitty Dolls from Blip Toys! These dolls take fun to a new level with poseable bodies and different outfits to help inspire hours of creative play. I received the Princess Hello Kitty Doll to check out and I

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Let Your Child Get Creative by Making #KREOCityVille KRE-O Kreations-Giveaway

While my son loves building models with his building sets, what he loves even more is inventing his own structures and vehicles. He generally only follows the instructions that come with a building set once. Soon after, he’s taken apart the set and created something completely new. So when I told him that we were

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Your Child will Fall in Love with Spin Master Zoomer the Robot Dog-Giveaway

Every year there are one or two toys that every kid dreams of finding under the tree and this year, Zoomer the Robot Dog is one of the undisputed hottest toys of the holiday season. This frisky pup lets children have all of the fun of a real dog without the hassle, mess or responsibility.

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Inspire a Love of Reading with Unique Books and Toys from Barefoot Books-Giveaway

I am an avid reader and one of my goals as a parent is to ensure that my boys develop the same love of reading that I have. That’s why finding engaging and age-appropriate books is something that I am passionate about. Recently, Jen Mills of Barefoot Books contacted me and gave me the chance

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Enjoy Quality Time with Your Kids with New DVDs and Playsets from Thomas & Friends #FP_Thomas

The older my boys get, the more it seems we spend our days rushing from one place to another without any time to just relax together and enjoy a little downtime. But that time to unwind is so important; it helps us catch up on one another’s lives and enjoy the quiet peacefulness of being

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Surprise Your Little Girl with the Latest Hit Toys from Spin Master-Giveaway

Spin Master has been one of my absolute favourite toy companies for years, in large part because its toys are so innovative and engaging for kids. With two boys in the house, it goes without saying that most of the Spin Master toys I’ve seen have been distinctly boy-friendly, so I was excited to get

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Your Child Can Build a Story and Save a City with #KREOCityVille Invasion-Giveaway

My son has loved building sets since he was a toddler stacking wooden blocks and now that he’s seven years old, he has traded large, simple projects for smaller, more complicated construction toys. Last Christmas he received a KRE-O Transformers set that was one of his favourite construction toys for months afterwards. And when I

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Let Your Child Build an Adventure with New Mega Bloks Building Sets-Giveaway

My oldest son Zackary has always loved building with blocks and over the years, he’s developed from building huge towers with large Mega Bloks to putting together intricate sets of favourite characters. What I love about building sets is that they don’t just give kids a chance to build a fun model. The characters and

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Keep Your Toddler Active this Summer with New Little Tikes Clearly Sports Sets

With the boys home from school now, I am looking for every possible opportunity to keep them entertained. The freedom of summer is wonderful but it’s also leading to some scuffles between the two of them. I’ve already noticed that the busier they are, the less they argue. We have a huge kid-friendly back yard

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Get Ready for the Beach with the June LittleEcoFootprint Subscription Box

One of the highlights of the month for me is always receiving the latest LittleEcoFootprint subscription box full of eco-friendly products for mom and baby. In May, the company celebrated mothers with a great collection of indulgent goodies just for Mom and in June, LittleEcoFootprint decided to celebrate summer with a special Beach Time Fun

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Kids Will Have a Knightly Summer with Mike the Knight DVDs, Books and Toys-Giveaway

With summer here and kids home from school, finding a way to provide a little extra entertainment is always a good thing. And this summer, NCircle Entertainment, HIT Entertainment and Fisher-Price have a very special set of Mike the Knight products that will be sure to keep younger children captivated! Mike the Knight is the

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Kids Love Playing with Timeless Wooden Games from Blue Orange Games-Giveaway

As much as my boys love fancy, electronic toys and games, it’s invariably the more simple and classic activities that become their favourites. I love seeing how much Zackary and Benjamin enjoy sitting down to play a board game or act out a story with their favourite toys and I always love finding new games

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Teach Children the Importance of Perseverance with the Never Give Up Bunny

In many ways, kids don’t get as many chances to fail as they used to. Sports are often played in a non-competitive setting, children are no longer held back at school and because instilling positive self-esteem has become a focus for so many parents, many children no longer learn about how to continue on regardless

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Spark Your Little Girl’s Imagination with an O.O.T.W. Doll from Blip Toys

Having two little girly girls makes for a house with a lot of dolls!  My daughters are always excited about exploring new doll toys and that includes the “out of this world” O.O.T.W. doll we recently received from Blip Toys. Blip Toys has recently debuted a new line of 5 collectible dolls each with her

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There’s No Such Thing as Summer Boredom with LEGO SpongeBob Squarepants Building Sets

Summer vacation is a time for lots of fun outdoor activities and family bonding, but summer is also a time when parents sometimes desperately need to get work done while kids are getting in the way looking for something to do! This summer, Nickelodeon Canada wants to help you prepare for those moments with a

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Make Everyone Smile with the Mini Lalaloopsy Sew Sweet Playhouse Playset and RC Cruiser-Giveaway

More and more I find that it seems like children’s toys have to “do” something all by themselves: talk, sing, dance, drive…electronic toys have really taken over the market. And although our house certainly has its fair share of battery-powered entertainment, I still really like to encourage my kids to make-believe and use their imaginations

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