VTECH Write and Learn Letter Book

In my house we love educational toys. They make learning fun! So when Caelan's birthday was coming up and I was being asked for gift recommendations one of the items I chose was the VTECH Write and Learn Letter Book.

Unlike other learning books this one requires no cartridges or add-ons; it's all in one so there is nothing to misplace. The pages are a flexible plastic that won't damage easily and will wipe clean after grimy fingers are finished playing.

This interactive story book has 20 pages that teach letters,
numbers, vocabulary and writing skills; you change the setting with the colorful sliding knob on the right. There are 17 activities to teach over 60 words, numbers 1-12, phonics skills, colors and all the
letters of the alphabet. Each page features two letters and teaches handwriting with finger touch so there are no pointed objects. The letter buttons light up to help the learning process.

Learning activities include matching letters to words, letter writing, "find it" game, letter order, spelling, counting and a music page that records the notes your child presses and lets them play it back. There is also an animals page.

This toy turns on automatically when it is opened or a page is turned and turns off when shut or after a period of time.

The age recommendation is 3 and up, but Caelan just turned 2 and she loves it:

She is learning letters and numbers in pre-school and this helps her to continue learning at home- when she thinks she's playing.

It has a handle for easy transport

and is great for car trips. There is a volume button on it, but low is still pretty loud so if you take this on a flight I would cover the speaker with a bit of masking tape to muffle the sound.

Brenna, who is 4, also enjoys this as she is learning letter sounds and is spelling short words. This is definitely a toy that can help your child learn through pre-school and into kindergarten.

Because it's made by VTECH it's built to withstand your toddler and I can tell you from experience that their customer service is top notch.

If you have a budding photographer in the house be sure to check out their Kidizoom Camera. We own one and love it.

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More Schmappin'

Schamp just chose another of my photos- this time for their Killarney edition.

I'm in their Cork edition, too.

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Celebrate Your Birthday at Disney in 2009

Coming in 2009 Disney Parks in both Florida and California will be offering free admission on your birthday.

The good: this saves about $75 for the admission of one person.

The bad: it is only good on your birthday. You must present a valid ID (age 18 or older) or a copy of a birth certificate (under age 18).

It is recommended that you sign up here prior to your trip to save time. You will receive a confirmation to print and redeem at the gate. You can sign up the day you arrive but be warned: you will have to fill out paperwork and that takes precious time away from playing in the park.

If you are a pass holder you will still want to register and print out the confirmation to receive one of these birthday gifts:

• A birthday fun card in an amount equal to the price of a 1-day Magic Your
  Way base ticket* for you to use on your birthday for merchandise, recreation
  or fun activities at select participating locations at Walt Disney World®
  Resort; or
  
• A special birthday FASTPASS® badge+ for certain attractions at the
  Theme Park you visit on your birthday; or
  
• A 1-day Magic Your Way base ticket for you to use any time until your
  next birthday.

You must be 18 or older to sign up for this offer. You may sign up for your under aged child. Children under age 3 are excluded from this offer as their admission is free.

Please click here for more FAQs.

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Geisler Family Farms- an Update for 2008

In what is quickly becoming a tradition we gathered a group of friends and welcomed the Harvest Moon at Geisler Family Farms. The theme has changed this year- to Vote 2008- and the maze is much more intricate than last year's.

There were other new updates, as well... A comfy sitting area has been added to the barn so you can warm yourself in front of a fireplace after navigating the maze or picking pumpkins. And while you are relaxing the kids can play in the corner or in the corn-box (like a sand box but filled with corn). It's much less messy than sand (that said, we did encounter some corn as we were changing for bed!) There are also large, clean bathrooms on site.

Fire pits are available for rental and our group made full use of two of them, roasting hot dogs and toasting marshmallows while we waited for the moon to rise.

The kids ran around and played with all the great play equipment and games the Geisler family has set up (including this tractor-tire swing).

Finally it was time to navigate the maze. A prize awaits those who persevere and locate all 10 markers. After the maze was complete many finished the night with a hay rack ride.

If you are near central Iowa any weekend through the end of October I highly recommend a visit to Geisler Family Farms. They have worked very hard to make their corn maze a great outing for the entire family. I promise you'll have a great time!

Please be sure to visit this article for previous information about this corn maze- and for links to other corn mazes around the country. This is a great way to support family farms!

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Small Town Festivals

With all the traveling we do to destinations far and wide it can be easy for us to forget the great fun that can be found locally. Because fall brings the return of school, sports and semi-hibernation this is a great time to look around your area to find small town festivals.

The best thing about small town festivals- at least in the kids eyes- is the parade. Not only are the parades filled with fun characters you won't usually find in larger parades...

There is usually a lot of candy being thrown!

The last fall festival we attended (in Dexter, Iowa, population 689 at the last census) had a kiddie parade, cow chip tossing (this may be an Iowa thing...), pedal tractor pulls, a community BBQ, a community movie in the park, a street dance... and more that we didn't get to.

Small festivals have a wonderful way of making you slow down, relax and just enjoy where you live.

The best way to find these little gems is to check your state's tourism website. I just type in the state name and "tourism". Or use this website and pick your state. Most pages either have an events calendar on the home page or an events tab to take you to the calendar. Using my state's website I've found corn mazes, Renaissance festivals, Fall festivals, Corn Carnivals and other great goings on that I had no idea existed.

I've also found that typing the state's name followed by "festivals" or "events" and a date range will yield some results. This is hit or miss as many of these gatherings may be too small to have a website.

So the next time you think "There's nothing to do around here" try searching your state. I bet you'll find something you've never done before in a place you thought you knew.

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Have You Tried Schmap?

I hadn't, either, until they contacted me about using one of my photos in their guide.

How do I describe Schmap? To simplify it quite a lot it is an interactive map with real time access to photos and reviews for places across the globe. You can use it on your computer or, if you're really set up, you can use it on your iPhone.

You can also publish your own Schmap and fill it with any information you want. And it's free.

Schmap even has great widgets. Here's the one that includes my photo:

It's really a neat little tool for travel... Or anything else.

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