Educational Insights: GeoSafari® Jr. My First Microscope #Review #LearningToy

Preschool and Kindergarten kids are naturally curious about the world and what lives in it. Help your child get excited about learning with the GeoSafari® Jr. My First Microscope. This microscope can magnify any small object- flat or dimensional- at 8x. This is a real working microscope made just for little hands.
 
It is designed specifically for kids, so it is built with rounded edges, big buttons and a large knob. Adisyn  and my niece Dezi loves to find items to magnify throughout the yard and house. I love that she can hold it securely without it slipping away from her.

It has an extra large eye piece so that she can see what she is viewing without squinting. It also has a large push-button light to help her see more clearly (3 AAA batteries are required to work the light). She feels so important being able to use a science tool all by herself.

The magnification at 8x is perfect for her. We can study and learn about different textures of the outside and inside world. Whether it’s buttons, bugs, blades of grass, flower seeds, small rocks, coins, etc. We’ve had a blast exploring in our own backyard, such a new experience for her.




Educational Insights always have the most amazing guarantees. If you don’t love it, they’ll refund your money with no questions asked. They also have a 365 Risk-free guarantee on all their items. If it breaks, they replace it. How could you go wrong with that? That’s an amazing company policy.



Follow Educational Insights online:
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Youtube



Until next time,

-Jessica

Educational Insights Design & Drill Socket to Me Review & Giveaway #ToyReview

Design a boat, robot, race car, or rocket with a real, working socket wrench and rugged bolts – then play with your creations! Endless construction fun for preschoolers.


Preschoolers love designing, building, banging, and using their imagination. The Design & Drill Socket to Me Play Set lets them do all the above. I love the fact that every toy that is on the Educational Insights website teaches while they play.


Play isn’t all fun it games, it’s very beneficial for kids and their growing minds. When preschoolers play and design with small pieces it teaches hand-eye coordination as well as problem solving and creativity. Adisyn couldn’t wait to get started after the box came in the mail. She even put them all in a certain tote so she could keep up with all the pieces after she was done.



The set comes with 4 different hands-on pieces which include a boat, a race car, a rocket, and a robot. The socket wrench actually works like normal and makes the clicking sounds as well. They use the socket wrench to attach different colored bolts to the pieces. She had tons of fun “building” her creations. She thought she was miss fix it all after this, lol.

This doesn’t require any batteries at all, so it makes it the perfect take along toy. You can throw this in your beach bag for a day at the beach, or in your kids backpack for long doctor waits.

Win your OWN!
Good Luck!

-Jessica

Toy Review: LeapFrog Read With Me Scout #HolidayGiftGuide2013 #ReadWithMeScout

Reading is something that is VERY much enjoyed in our home. I LOVE to read myself and it is something that I wanted to pass on to my kids. We go to the library all the time and I let them choose their own books. We read them, re-read them, and then I try and get them to re-read the books to me.

There are times when I am super busy and have to get something VERY important done and would love to read to them but can’t. That’s where the Read With Me Scout by Leapfrog comes in. She can patiently sit down and play with him and have him read to her while I wash dishes, clean, or cook supper. I can then sit down and join her after we’ve ate supper, I’ve washed the dishes, and they’ve had their baths for school the next morning.

Adisyn absolutely adores her Leap Frog Read With Me Scout. He comes with 5 color coded books that are also numbered. The books are hardback books and very durable for small hands. (This is a HUGE plus because she tends to still sometimes slightly tear pages on accident). So them being board books make a HUGE difference.

Scout makes reading very interesting and interactive, even for a Preschooler! When you turn the switch “ON” on Scout’s collar he will say something like “pick up the blue book and pat my head when you are ready.”

He will then read the book to her, commenting on the book, and asking questions as he goes. This is awesome because it builds comprehension skills as well as helps them pay attention to what is being read to them. It amazing how much he engages her in the book and makes reading that much MORE fun.

Scout has 5 different interactive spots (cheek, both paws, head, and back) that respond to her touch. She can kiss his cheek and he will tell her that she’s his best friend, she’s friendly, and he likes her. His left paw produce songs, the right produces random responses (high five, yeah, it’s nice to see you, let’s play). His back responds “You’re my buddy, I like that, and I love you” etc.

The 5 colorfully illustrated board books teach:
    1) Rhyming—helps children learn about the sounds of language and build phonological awareness,
    2) Learn-about—learn about the world through reading and recognize how print carries meaning,
    3) Narrative—learn about how stories are put together, with characters, settings, and a sequence of events,
    4) Pattern—learn with rhymes, refrains and repetition to predict what comes next, and
    5) Concept—explore concepts like colors to label and classify new information.

Adisyn love to carry Scout wherever we go, no matter where it is. To the post office, the Doctor, and even to the grocery store. She even wanted to pack him in her backpack to take to school. She loved showing all our friends and family how much of a big girl she was by trying to read along with Scout.

Scout was a tremendous help to me on Friday. I had a doctor appointment for 11 because I ‘d been having severe migraines and felt “stuffy” for a few days. I thought I had allergies, so I made the appointment. We went in (Adisyn doesn’t have school on Fridays) and sat there until 2:30. It was ridiculous, but at least we had Scout to keep her entertained, occupied, and from flipping out from sitting there all day.

He teaches comprehension, early vocabulary and book and print basics. The more words a child sees, the more words they will eventually be able to use. The more a child is read to, the more they will LOVE to read. They will definitely love interacting not only with their book, but having a buddy that talks!

This is the perfect holiday gift for any child ages 2-5.

Get YOURS: Read With Me Scout by Leapfrog $34.99 $29.99

Stylish Southern Mama received the product free as part of a promotional program with LeapFrog and MomSelect.

 

Jessica Renee

Toy Review: Educational Insights- Raccoon Rumpus™ #HolidayGiftGuide2013

Join the party! Raccoons have raided your closet and now they’re having a party. Help these masked bandits get dressed—the critter that collects the most costumes wins. Includes 4 raccoon cards, 20 costume cards, 1 jumbo color die, 1 jumbo costume die, and game guide. 2-4 players. Grades Pre-K+ -

 

Adisyn absolutely loves to play cards, well what she thinks is playing cards. Usually we just play match the cards, or I hold the cards and show her one and ask her to find the same card in her hand. That’s OUR version of Go Fish because she doesn’t know all her numbers yet.

The Raccoon Rumpus game is specifically for preschoolers, so it doesn’t require them to know anything they don’t. It’s a game that is fun for her because all it includes is critters, costumes, matching, and memory! The goal is to collect costumes and help the raccoons get dressed. Whoever collects the most outfits wins! She loves it and has tons of fun!

The color matching rules are super easy, the die is bigger so they can easily grip in their smaller hands, and the game is fast paced and fun! It definitely helps with math skills, colors, and memory as well as matching!

Adisyn and Aidan both thought it was hilarious to see raccoons in their underwear, I’m pretty sure they snickered every time they played a new game. It’s a cute, funny game that they continue to love!

It’s a cute little game that is perfect for any stocking!

Get yours: Raccoon Rumpus $14.99

Connect with Educational Insights online:

Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest

Jessica Renee

Toy Review: Educational Insights- The Sea Squad™ Puppet-on-a-Stick™ #HolidayGiftGuide2013

Meet The Sea Squad: Flipper the anglerfish, Dipper the octopus, Chomper the shark, and Bob the clam. Their googly eyes, vivid colors, and hilarious expressions will inspire all sorts of creative play in an instant. Children will flip over these silly creatures from the sea as they dive into worlds of dramatic play, while developing communication skills and practicing real and imaginary dialogue!

Pretend play and puppet shows become a splash with these comical marine friends and story time is transformed into an adventure. Our kid-approved, patent-pending design marries an easy-glide child-sized thumb lever and a chunky, secondary knob, giving kids (and adults who need a good giggle) two ways to articulate each puppet’s mouth.

Built to last through many childhoods, each puppet’s soft-touch molded body reinforce our hallmark Educational Insights quality standard. Take a swim with The Sea Squad! Grades Pre-K+ -

• Go fishing for fun; Meet Flipper, Dipper, Chomper and Bob

Aidan and Adisyn had nearly jumped out of their skin with excitement when they seen the box for the The Sea Squad™ Puppet-on-a-Stick. They fidgeted and bugged me until I opened the box and gave them their sea creature stick puppets.

The box comes with 4 stick puppets; 1 clam, 1 shark, 1 octopus, and 1 angler fish. They have an easy-glide thumb lever that fits perfectly to child sized fingers. They are very easy to push down and don’t require much hand strength.

They also have a chunky, secondary knob that gives the kid a second way to operate the puppets mouth. These puppets have already seen tons of play time in this house. The kids have re-named the puppets and create little stories and plays for them to star in.

These puppets are perfect for numerous things; story time, plays, imaginative play, etc. They are made of extremely durable plastic and bigger than I imagined they would be, which I love. They’ve already been through drops, being accidentally run over by Aidan’s scooter, and much more and are still going strong!

They are brightly colored and definitely attract and keep the attention of kids. Even my ten year old stepson Alex couldn’t resist joining in on the fun when he came for the weekend. They played well over an hour just the first night that Alex was here.

I love the fact that they aren’t only growing their imagination but learning as well. These would be perfect for any Pre-K or Kindergarten classroom. They would make an awesome addition to any Under the Sea lessons.

I am definitely thinking about buying a box for Adisyn’s class. They have different “learning” weeks. One week will be Zoo week where they learn about the animals that are in the zoo, one week is firefighter week where they learn about firefighters and their jobs. I would definitely like to see an Under the Sea week, how cool would that be.

This would make an awesome present for any kid or teacher! Get yours!

The Sea Squad™ Puppet-on-a-Stick $39.99

Connect with Educational Insights online:

.Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest

 

Jessica Renee

Toy Review: GeoSafari® Jr. Kidnoculars™ #HolidayGiftGuide2013

The only binoculars designed specifically for little kids! Enlarged focus-free eyepieces—more than three times the size of ordinary binoculars—and perfect-fit goggles with placement guide enable kids (even toddlers) to see up close! Grades Pre-K+

Adisyn was extremely thrilled when I handed her the GeoSafari® Jr. Kidnoculars. She has always wanted a pair of binoculars after seeing Dora had some on one episode. These are absolutely perfectly suited for any preschooler!

Regular binoculars are expensive, hard to handle, and have tons of knobs that make it difficult for a preschooler to use. She was mighty delighted to be able to go outside with “her” binoculars and watch animals.

She has always been fascinated by birds, squirrels, and butterflies. It was always difficult for her to really see them though unless they were really close to her, and then she’d run after them! Now she can animal watch with ease!

She even walks around the house and yard looking at random stuff; grass, flowers, leaves, you name it! These have really peaked her interest in not only nature and the animals in it, but now she’s interested in EVERYTHING she sees through the Kidnoculars, She can play and explore her world while doing it.

This is another hit from Educational Insights. They REALLY do make the best toys! They definitely put themselves in a kids shoes or SOMETHING because every single item we’ve got from them my kids ADORE!

This would make an awesome gift for your little explorer! Get them!

GeoSafari® Jr. Kidnoculars. $14.99

Connect with Educational Insights online:

Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest

 

 

Jessica Renee

Toy Review: Educational Insights GeoSafari® Jr. Animal Eye Viewers #HolidayGiftGuide2013

Take a walk on the wild side—backwards! Slip on your Shark Eye Viewer and use the rear-view mirrors to get around, but look out for your blind spot—sharks can’t see directly in front of themselves. Choose from three different Animal Eye Viewers and lots of animal adaptations and get a whole different view of the world. Grades Pre-K+

Do you see what they see? See the world through an animal’s eyes with this set of three amazing Animal Eye Viewers. Try the insect viewer—the pixelated views create dozens of mini-images. The shark viewer provides a 360° view complete with rearview mirrors, central blind spot, and ocean-blue tint. Or, try to keep your focus with two independently rotating eyeballs in the chameleon viewer.

Aidan and Adisyn were excited to open their box of GeoSafari® Jr. Animal Eye Viewers. They come with 3 animal “eyes” inside the box. The chameleon, shark, and insect. They play with them all the time, for long periods of time pretending to be the animals. It’s cute.

I love the fact that these not only inspire their imaginations, but they are educational as well. They loved seeing the world through the eyes of the different animals. After we got them we looked up and printed off information about each “animal”.

I think these toys would be an amazing addition to any classroom as well as any kids toy collection. My daughter loved the insect viewer the best because it shows the world like a Kaleidoscope- with tons of whatever you’re looking at coming in to view.

My son loved the shark. We had no idea before getting these that a shark had blind spots. The chameleon eyes are just crazy. They rotate and it’s hard to look at anything straight, lol. Educational Insights did an amazing job of recreating these animals “eyes” for us to see and learn about!

This would make an amazing gift for kids as well as teachers!

Get Yours! GeoSafari® Jr. Animal Eye Viewers $27.99

Connect with Educational Insights online:

Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest

 

 

Jessica Renee

Toy Review: WonderMind Educational Kits for Toddlers & Kids

Teaching kids to tell time can be a very daunting task, however it is necessary. They need to know their schedules, especially when they start school. Aidan started Kindergarten this year, and has been fascinated with telling time all year. Adisyn is 4- and follows and learns from him.

Aidan knows and can read his  numbers on a digital clock—which is what most of them are in our home. Phones, computer, microwave, and alarm clocks. However, non-digital clocks are a totally different story.

WonderMind is a complete five-piece interactive learning system designed to work together to help preschoolers and kindergartens learn how to tell time.

Included are 5-pieces; Wonder and Discover Theater DVD, Wonder and Discovery Picture Book, Discovery Workbook, Tick-Tocks Talking Toy Clock and a parenting guide.

You start out with the 20 minute DVD, which includes 10 different elements such as grammar, counting, time, and more. The chapters are short, so the kids really enjoyed them and stayed entertained with the  interactive telling time activities.

The picture book has chapters that center on what they had just watched in the DVD. They are very informational stories with big, bright, colorful pictures that show what the story is talking about.

Aidan and Adisyn really enjoyed looking at the “What’s in the Oven” part of the book. It shows about baking bread and how certain foods are made from other foods. Such as Pizza Crust and Spaghetti are both made from flour… It amazed them!

Then there’s the workbook. It shows how to use tick-tock, which is the interactive talking clock that comes with it. Then it goes into “story-time” where they visit tick-tocks house.

Before getting Wondermind, Aidan didn’t know how to tell time. Now he can tell you which is the long hand, the short hand, and most of the time tell me what time it is. He still has problems after 30 (such as 12:31) because he can only count to 30. BUT we have made some serious progress!!

Aidan and Adisyn both loved playing with the clock and learning the different parts of a clock. It has certainly made telling time more fun for them. Very interactive which holds their attention for a longer period of time.

The two colored clock hands made it so much easier for  my children to understand “long and short” hands and the clock even comes with a timer and quiz button.

The workbook helps along with the clock, not only to tell time but other certain things they may need to know. It helps to show them the right way to hold a pencil, whether they are right or left handed and how to write with it.

It helps that the workbook comes with reward stickers (YAY) and the timer on the clock can be set from 3 minutes to 15 minutes. Kids have very short attention spans and when you try to make them sit for a long time period learning something—they aren’t going to retain that information for very long.

This helps them grasp “time management”.. so they know we work on the book for 10 minutes a day, almost every day. That way they can actually tell how long 10 minutes is!

At only $29.99 plus a 30-day money back guarantee it is affordable and comes with a ton of activities to help children learn the importance of telling time!

For more information on the kit we reviewed or the toddler kit visit www.wondermindkids.com

 

Jessica Renee