Fun4Kiddos

Here is a Great way for the Kiddo's to earn $10 for Summer vacation!!

2010-06-29T08:00:00.001-04:00

Read 10 books, get $10. It's easy!

Read 10 books over the summer and TD Bank will deposit $10 into your new or existing Young Saver account. One $10 offer per reader. Fill out this form, print it and bring it to your local TD Bank store to get $10!

If you have a real young Kiddo, just read to them & they get their $10 too!

Happy Reading!!!

Freebies for you & the Kiddo's on Tax Day

2010-04-15T06:55:00.000-04:00

Here are some great Freebies for today April 15th & who doesn't need a little treat on tax day?? (Thanks MaryBeth for the site!) So go on out today & get a treat for Free!!! For more info click here.

-- FREE COFFEE AND TREATS

CINNABON: Get two free bite-sized cupcakes from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at participating mall locations as part of "Tax Day Bites!" Flavors include Chocolate Passion, 24-Carrot Cake, Vanilla Bliss and Cinnacake Classic.

MAGGIEMOO'S: Get one free slice of ice cream pizza -- ice cream with red frosting to look like sauce and white chocolate to look like cheese -- at participating locations from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.

STARBUCKS: Get free brewed coffee all day Thursday if you bring your own mug, a promotion the cafe chain says is friendly to the environment as well as taxpayers.

-- DISCOUNTED MEALS

BOSTON MARKET: For a "last-minute tax break" -- one free meal for each one you buy Thursday through Sunday -- show this coupon: http://bit.ly/d1YlRO

IHOP: Expanding on the tax deduction parents get for kids, the restaurant chain is offering free dinner for one child age 12 or younger with each adult meal purchased 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. all month long.

MCCORMICK & SCHMICK'S: The seafood restaurant is offering $10.40 dinner and drink specials in the bar on Thursday -- a nod to the 1040 tax form. Bar guests who come in April 15 also receive a $10.40 gift certificate for a later visit. And professional tax preparers, who may have to work right until the midnight deadline Thursday, get their freebie Friday: dessert on the house plus a $10.40 certificate if they show a business card.

P.F. CHANG'S: Get 15 percent off food purchases for dine-in or take-out, excluding alcohol and happy hour food and beverages.

-- STRESS RELIEF

HYDROMASSAGE: Get a free massage Thursday through Sunday at participating locations. The mall-based massage chain suggests calling ahead to book an appointment. Find a location at http://www.hydromassage.com/taxday.

Free Thomas activities for the Kiddo's this weekend!

2010-04-13T06:18:00.000-04:00

Take the Kiddos to your Local Toys R Us store this weekend April 17th for lots of Free Thomas games, crafts & fun! To learn more click here.

Have Fun!

What Kiddo doesn't love Mac -n- Cheese??

2010-04-11T19:46:00.000-04:00

Here is an easy way to get a Free goodie for the Kiddos! Click here to become a Fan & get your free coupon! In 4-6 weeks you'll get your Free coupon!!

More freebie's for you OR your Kiddo's

2010-04-07T08:07:00.000-04:00

FREE DIAMOND AND EMERALD EARRINGS

FREE OFFERS

Free Diamond Earrings 6mm Round!

Follow this link: Click Here

1. Add the earrings to your shopping cart.

2. Use promotion code: 0801

3. Click the ADD button to activate the code.

4. Complete checkout.

Regularly $59.95, with the promotion code they’re $0.00!

The same promotion code will work with these as well…

Free Emerald Earrings Click Here

So you can get 2 pairs of earring for shipping of $11 not a bad deal at all!

I have received 3 Free pairs so far & have been very happy with the quality & the speed of delivery!

Happy Shopping!!

American Girl Free Shipping Offer - good thru 3/28

2010-03-24T09:00:00.000-04:00

American Girl

For a limited time, your order ships for free when you

spend $50 or more—just enter SHIP032810 at checkout.*

Offer good thru March 28, 2010.

Free Round Aquamarine Stud Post Earrings Aqua March for you or the Kiddo??

2010-03-23T13:26:00.000-04:00

Now this is a great little find!

I have "purchased" Free earrings from them before & was highly satisfied with the quality of the porduct.

Now all you pay is shipping & handling which usually runs between $5-7 depending on where you live so it is a great deal. Keep them for the Kiddo's, for a Birthday party gift or maybe even for yourself ;)

All you need to do is click the link below & follow these instructions!

Let me know if you love them when they come in!

Your Free earrings!

1. Add the earrings to your shopping cart.

2. Use promotion code: 0801

3. Click the ADD button to activate the code.

4. Complete checkout.

Regularly $59.95, with the promotion code they're $0.00!

Free Ice Cream Today!

2010-03-23T11:28:00.000-04:00

If you are lucky enough to have a Ben & Jerry's near you then swing by today for your FREE Ice Cream!!

Click here for more Ben & Jerry locations!

Mattel Free Shipping & Great Sales!

2010-03-22T22:23:00.000-04:00

FREE SHIPPING on EVERYTHING, for limited time!

I am happy to let you all know that I found a site with some great deals for the Boy Kiddo's in your life! I have an almost 6 year old who loves cars and his 2 favorite car shows are Speed Racer and the brand NEW Battle Force 5. In addition to being on sale I have to let you know that when you click through the link below and enter the Battle Force 5 section they are running a special on top of the Free shipping it is also Buy 3 get the 4th for Free, sweeting the deal!!!

Now there are also some great deals for the Girl Kiddo's! So take a look and fill those Easter Baskets & pick up some great gifts for Birthday parties!

Click to: Shop Mattel for some Great Deals!!!

Fancy flip-flops for the Kiddo's!

2010-03-19T10:00:00.002-04:00

Summer will be here soon!!

So in honor of the warm weather that will soon be upon I have a fun craft you can do with the Kiddo's.

All you need is a pair of flip flops, some ribbon & sissors!

Think poolside, walking on the boardwalk or even just playing in the backyard the Kiddo's Flip-flops will soon be coming to the front of the closet (as we put the boots back really far this year)!

Now do your Kiddo's have a favorite pair you just can't seem to get rid of that need a little sprucing up? Or are did their feet grow enough this winter that they need a new size? If new ones are in order I will suggest Walmart they have a wide variety of colors for around $2 a pair.

Now I found this idea at Birthday Party Ideas 4 Kids.

Now to make the Flip Flops:

1. Go get a cheap pair of flip-flops & approx. 11 yards total of 1inch wide ribbon (2 different patterns)

2. Cut the the ribbon into 6 inch long stips. I would suggest pinching the ribbon in half and cutting it on ab=n angle to prodcue a V-shaped pattern on ends to avoid fraying.

3. Place the ribbon under one topside of the Flip Flop pull it together to make sure sides are even & tie a knot. Alternate patterned ribbons on each side until the top of the flip flop is covered.

*Now on my 2 year old Kiddo's pair we alternated a thinner ribbon & tulle for a soft look on her tiny feet. *

My oldest Kiddo (age 9) did the Fancy Flip Flops with her Cousins

and they helped the younger Kiddo's tie the fabric.

The results below are adorable Flip-flops that the Kiddo's can show off.

Happy Crafting!

Perks for the Kiddo's still in diapers.

2010-03-18T10:00:00.000-04:00

If you have little Kiddo's still in diapers or are transitioning from diapers to pull-ups then don't miss out on some great giveaways. Just click over to Pampers and register to start collecting your rewards.

If you are just signing up or even if you already have an account here is a code worth

30 points - GTGTEAMUSA2010

I have been doing the various Pampers rewards programs since my oldest Kiddo (who is now 9) was little and have received some great items. So sign up & start collecting your rewards!!

An easy to make Rainbow Cake for the Kiddos!

2010-03-17T09:28:00.001-04:00

Ok, so if you are done with winter & let's be honest who isn't this year I have a

fun and easy to decorate cake for you!!

Now a master cake decorator I am not, so when I saw this Rainbow cake on Family Fun's website, I thought WOW even I can do this :)

~Our Families Rainbow cake~

Now I used confetti cake mix, vanilla icing, marshmallows & jelly beans on the cake.

(You could use M&Ms in place of the jelly beans for a more chocolate flavored rainbow.)

My Kiddo's had a blast separating the jelly beans by color and I am happy to let you know that there were

plenty left over to sample!!

Now Spring will officially be upon us this Saturday (3/20) so it is a great time to make a Rainbow cake as we look forward to Spring Sunshine & flowers!!

Happy Baking!

Friends & Family discount at a tween Kiddo favorite...

2010-03-15T15:03:00.002-04:00

Aéropostale

Here is a great coupon to help with the Spring?Summer shopping for the older Kiddo's in your life. Coupon is valid in-store or online. Please leave a comment & let me know about any great deals you find for the Kiddo's! I plan on getting to the store early Thursday to see what bargains I can find.

Happy Savings! Click here to print out Coupon for 30% off!

Take a look at some great T's they will be only $7 each with discount !
Get it here..

Or only $14 for this Hoodie in several colors! Click to get it here.....

Fun new sample for the Kiddo's

2010-03-15T13:05:00.000-04:00

Try this new sample of Ritz Munchables. Always good to get a taste for the Kiddo's before we buy a great big box!!

Click for Free new sample!!

Free diaper sample for the Little Kiddos!

2010-03-09T10:10:00.000-05:00

Here is a nice freebie! 2 free diapers for the little Kiddo's in your life! A great pack to keep in the car, an extra diaper bag or at Grandma's house for emergencies! You do not need to be a Costco member to get this freebie so sign up & choose the size you need!

https://www.shoppersampling.com/orders/index.php?sid=86674&lang=en

A little Birthday Help for the Kiddo's

2010-03-01T15:47:00.000-05:00

I have used Birthday Express many times & have always been happy with them. They have a great deal going on now that gets you an additional 35% off clearance items (use code 35clear). So take a peek you could save a bundle on goodies for the Kiddo's Birthday parties!!!

Take a look you may be surprised with what you find! Go to Birthday Express soon items will sell out!

National Pancake Day & a FREE deal for you & the Kiddos!

2010-02-23T11:09:00.001-05:00

Every once in awhile I like to treat the Kiddos to Breakfast for Dinner!

They sure love having syrup & pancakes for dinner & tonight I have an Excellent Freebie for you & your Kiddos!!!

Today - Tuesday, February 23rd is National Pancake Day and to celebrate IHOP has a fantastic deal!

So why not take the Kiddo's out tonight for Breakfast for dinner & get some Free pancakes!! For more info go to IHOP at http://www.ihoppancakeday.com/

Happy Pancaking!

Who doesn't love a pretzel!

2010-02-08T12:26:00.000-05:00

Here is a great way to keep the Kiddo's quiet while you get a little shopping in on a Saturday.

This will be a great time to get the Kiddo's the cleats for spring sports and a FREE treat too!

If you go to the site you can even get a text msg reminder set up!

Enjoy!!

http://www.auntieannes.com/fpd/FPD.html

Kids Night on Broadway!

2010-02-05T07:31:00.000-05:00

I know this is late notice but I wanted to share a fabulous deal with everyone and for some of you there is still time to buy tickets!!!

If you are not in the NY area take a look at the national line up and see if there are still tickets available in your area. I know in NY there are still some seats available for this Sunday & there are dinner & parking deals as well. It is a great opportunity to take your Kiddo's to experience the theater at a resonable price. So take a look and see if you might be able to take advantage of this great offer and let me know what you see!! http://www.kidsnightonbroadway.com/

A Great new Kiddo Friendly Website.

2010-02-01T16:02:00.002-05:00

The Kiddos of today are almost as savy on the computer at 8 as some of us are & we are much older. I would like to share a great new site that my older Kiddos are having a ball with.

I was introduced to this fantastic site (Thank you Kim!) called FreeRice.com. This site has twice the great educational opportunities as most websites for your Kiddos! They can pick from a variety of topics from Math to Foreign Language, with different difficulty levels for each. From basic addition and subtraction to algebra, from Geography to Chemistry this site has it all. They display all answers to the questions as either correct or incorrect and if your Kiddo misses an answer it is put back into the rotation to be asked again, reinforcing what they may have had difficulty with. Now this alone is a fantastic site, but there is an even greater humanitarian component to this site...your Kiddo's screen has an image of a small bowl on the side for every correct answer your Kiddo gets the bowl is filled with 10 grains of rice. For each grain of rice your Kiddo puts into the bowl Freerice.com will donate the same amount of actual rice to the United Nations World Food Program!!! This is a fantstic opportunity to show your Kiddos how learning benefits not only themselves but someone else who is in need. I would strongly recommend you take a look, you may even find yourself answering some Foreign Language questions from your High School days!! http://www.freerice.com/

So take a few minutes & let your Kiddo get some extra studying in while helping to feed a Kiddo in need.

Happy Learning!

Personalized Valentine's Day Cards on sale TODAY!!!

2010-01-28T07:15:00.001-05:00

Hallmark is running a great special for today only! Buy 1 Card get 1 free & they will even ship it for you at no extra charge. So pick out some great pictures of your Kiddos & make someones Valentine's Day even more special this year!!!

http://www.hallmark.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category2%7C10001%7C10051%7C315068%7C255568%3b315068%7Cphotocards%7CunPhotocardandMore%7CValentine?mc=BAE_E_POD_email_freecard&bae=3&mailID=POD_012810_VA_MainImage

Happy Carding!!

Books that the Kiddo's and you can Enjoy!!

2010-01-25T12:39:00.001-05:00

Now my Kiddo's love to curl up at the end of the day & hear a good story. I love that it is the one time that the 3 of them can always sit patiently together waiting to see what adventures are picked for the nights line up! I love to read stories to the Kiddos that have a lesson to tell and that can do it with humor. I love all the giggles and smiles that a book written with wit and excellent illustration draws out of my 3.

Now the classics are always good reads with the Kiddos, but here are some that you may not be as familiar with, so if you re looking for a good family read, try these fantastic stories...and I will warn you that your Kiddos may not be the only ones giggling in the room!

Mo Willems in a Fantastic children's author. My Kiddo's 2 favorite series that he writes are the "Don't let the Pigeon ..." and the "Elephant and Piggie Books". Both series are written with few words but there meaning and emotion is conveyed by the size and font they are writtten in. If you have a new reader in your home the "Elephant and Piggie Books" are fantastic as you can each play a character and enjoy the story together. http://www.mowillems.com/

A book that is as fun to look at as it is to read is Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. With simple yet amazing illustration this book clearly depicts how 2 people could look at the same object and see 2 completely different images. If you have an early reader this is another book that works great in each taking a character to read. We found ourselves going back just to look through the book to see how amazing it is that 1 picture can be seen as 2 different animals.

Another fantastic adventure to go on at story time is to sail the seven seas... Pirate Girl by Cornelia Funke is a witty story about a little girl named Molly who is captured at seas by a gang of pirates. However the story takes a turn as that all you female pirates out there will love as the pirates who have captured Molly quakes in their boots to discover how Molly knows Barbarous Bertha and her scurvy pirate women crew.

If you are looking for a chapter series that provides entertainment to the reader who has just begun to master the craft of reading then my oldest Kiddo and I would recommend: The Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park. These books follow the very spunky Junie B. Jones as she starts her adventures in kindergarten she is going to a new school with a new little brother at home and you and your Kiddo's will enjoy all the laughs along the way. Currently there are 25 books in the series. They are a great read aloud book with your Kiddo who is making their way as a new reader.

Keeping with the reader who is beginning chapter books another set of humorous chapter books is by Dan Gutman. He writes the My Weird School Series in which a group of second grade students encounter goofy teachers in their school and the silly antacis that follow. Again this series is a great read aloud with the Kiddo's in your home who are mastering their reading skills! http://www.dangutman.com/

Now most if not all of these books can probably by found at your local libray, http://www.borders.com/online/store/Home or http://www.amazon.com/. So if you are looking for a new book for your Kiddos to enjoy try some of our favorites and let me know what you think. If you have a book that you love plese let me know as I am always looking for new authors, new series and new ways to take my Kiddos into the magical land opened though a good book!

Happy Reading!

Baking with the Kiddos

2010-01-14T14:00:00.003-05:00

Looking to warm the house this winter or fill it with the aroma of wonderful memories? Here are a couple of easy Kiddo friendly recipes that we love to make especially in the winter . The ingredients may already be in your cabinets so take a peek and maybe you and your Kiddos can whip up one of these tasty treats for this weekend!!

Now we always end up with those last 3 bananas that get just a little too ripe for eating so here is one great way to use them...

Prep time – 10 min. approx. Baking time – 70 minutes

3 overripe bananas

1 ½ cups flour

1 cup sugar

½ tsp baking soda

dash of salt

1 egg

¼ cup (½ stick) butter

¼ cup of chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mash bananas in a large bowl (I let the kiddos squeeze them in a ziploc bag till they are nice & mushy, they love squeezing the bananas, then put them in the bowl). Add, flour baking soda, salt and egg.
Melt butter in microwave, add it to the mix until just blended. (My kiddos like chocolate chips in the bread so you can add a handful or 2 of chips to the mix now if you'd like)
Pour into a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bake for 70 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Have you ever looked a box of cake mix and said but I really don't need 24 cupcakes....well Betty Crocker has us covered. Here is a great recipe for your little Chefs that is easy to make & that has endless possibilities, you could add chocolate chips, peanut butter chip, toffee pieces, dried cranberries or just have them as the delicious chocolate cookies they are. http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/quick-mix-chocolate-cookies/b181b72f-4126-4796-b851-e2be6b33a440

Five ingredients are all you need for quick homemade chocolate cookies.

Prep Time: 45 min Total Time: 1 hour 25 min Makes: About 4 dozen cookies
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® devil's food cake mix

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, mix cake mix, oil, vanilla and eggs with spoon until dough forms.

2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls about 2 inches apart.

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Store tightly covered.

We have made them and froze them for upto 3 months & they were still delicious.

Cookie keeping tip: When you make home made cookies keep them in an air tight container and place a piece of white bread wrapped in a napkin or paper towel at the bottom. The bread will absorb the air & keep your cookies fresh and soft!

There are so many great recipes that have simple ingredients that help the older Kiddos with practicing their fractions, reading, measuring and most importantly it build great memories.

If you have a favorite kiddo friendly recipe please share it, my picky little eaters will always try a new recipe that they get to help create. Hope you & your Kiddos enjoy!

Happy Baking!

Game Night!

2010-01-13T15:00:00.000-05:00

Want to a turn a regular night, afternoon or maybe a slow moving Sunday morning into a Fantastic memory with your Kiddos? Then break out the Board Games!!!!!

Now I have 3 Kiddos at very different board game levels so I'm going to share some favorites that work for all the Kiddos together & some that maybe better when the littlest Kiddo goes off to bed.

A family favorite here is Princess Charming by International Plaything. Each time you play the Kiddos can set up the boards in the order they want making every time you play a new adventure. It requires your youngest Kiddo only to spin a number wheel & the older Kiddos or parents can help with the counting. When Princess Charming reaches her castle, the player who has collected the most tokens wins! Find it at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/International-Playthings-P20065-Princess-Charming/dp/B000OSHGZU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1263318996&sr=8-2-fkmr1

For a fun family move around kind of game I highly recommended Hullabaloo by Cranium. It come with a prerecorded host that has hundreds of games already to go and game pads that you place around on the floor, they are very durable and last! You press the button & listen to the directions given you me could be looking for a game pad that is a shape, a color, a food, a musical instrument or even an animal. The game keeps everyone moving from pad to pad by with tons of movements including crawling, tip toeing and spinning. Once my kiddos get going they play this game for a long time. One of the greatest parts is if you are on the winning pad it will tell your Kiddo to complete a task as the winner; maybe a dance, taking a bow or a host of other things. In between all the laughing the kiddos listen to the very end to see what they get to do! http://www.amazon.com/Cranium-16518-Hullabaloo/dp/B00008MIGQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1263318506&sr=8-1

Another game that we find fun to play as a family is ZINGO by Think Fun. Now the youngest Kiddo who is 2 is a little young for this one, but she has lots of fun just collecting the pieces we don't use on our boards. We like to add a little to this game and we start off by having every Kiddo pick a board & then tell a story about their pictures. This game gets even better for Preschool aged year old kiddos because all of the pictures are also spelled out & that helps with the early recognition of words to objects! Once everyone tells their story we begin! It is a much quicker version of BINGO because the board has only 9 images. The player to fill their card first wins & you will to with this great game!

Find it at:

http://www.target.com/s/179-5918141-6476267?_encoding=UTF8&CPNG=Toys&LID=27277190&search-alias=tgt-index&keywords=zingo_think%5Ffun&searchSize=30&ref=tgt%5Fadv%5FXSGO0672&searchView=grid5&searchNodeID=1038576&AFID=google&searchPage=1&searchRank=target104545&LNM=zingo%5Fthink%5Ffun

Another Great Family game is Yahtzee Junior by Hasbro the kids only need to try to get 5 of a kind of the 5 different characters on the dice. There is even a Wild side on the dice which adds to the Kiddos total. It also comes with a scoreboard so no need for a pencil you keep track on the board. Now it comes in a variety of characters so have fun & YAHTZEE! Toy Story version - http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3783140 Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_2_7?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=yahtzee+jr&sprefix=yahtzee

Now we came across a card game that the kiddos really enjoyed over the Holidays, Pictureka Card Game by Hasbro. It would be a great addition to your Kiddos card game collection like UNO by Mattell which now comes in various character cards. Now to make all the card games more enjoy for your Kiddos I would suggest getting a set of Card Holders they make holding much easier for little hands!! http://www.target.com/s/179-5918141-6476267?_encoding=UTF8&CPNG=Bedding&LID=13898846&search-alias=tgt-index&keywords=kids_card%5Fholder&searchSize=30&ref=tgt%5Fadv%5FXSGT0780&searchView=grid5&searchNodeID=1038576&AFID=Google&searchPage=1&searchRank=target104545&LNM=kids%5Fcard%5Fholder

Now there are too many to list but just as a reminder don't forget Candy Land, Chutes and ladders, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Sorry, Operation, Jenga, Monopoly and Clue. For more games that the Kiddos enjoy check out Guess Who? Hi-Ho Cherry-O, Rummikub, Lucky Ducks and Othello! http://www.hasbro.com/shop/browse.cfm?N=63+605+351 or http://www.mattelgames.com/browse.asp

Now don't forget that game night time is great with the classics too! So pop some pop-corn the old fashion way & get playing!! And when your game night is over post your favorites so we can all add to your favorites to Our Kiddos Game Night!

Happy Gaming!

Picture deal for Valentine's Day

2010-01-13T13:26:00.002-05:00

THE PICTURE PEOPLE

The Picture people has a good deal for some great Valentine's Day portraits of your Kiddos.

http://www.picturepeople.com/promotion/email/Vday_2010/vday1_landing2.html