What I like most about this game are the various ways you can make up rules to match the age and understanding of the players.  For example, matching pairs is still a bit challenging for my kids, so when we play, I assign each child a color, and they each fish for their own color (their turns don’t end until they catch something).  Play ends when everyone catches all of their fish.

I also made up rules that will help them learn their numbers (which they now know).  We flip the fish number-side down.  When a player catches a fish, he or she has to yell out the color and number on the under-side.  Again, play ends when all the fish are caught.   There are so many possibilities for color and number learning for younger kids and mastering matching skills for older kids.

Actually, I wasn’t sure about this game when I first opened the box.  Typically, things with suction cups never work as well as they’re shown on the box (or in commercials).  I was pleasantly surprised by this game though.  The suction cup really works and the fishing rod is sturdy enough that the kids can push down on it hard enough to actually catch a fish with the suction cup.

Although my kids got their Go Fish game as a gift from Grandma and Grandpa, I should mention that another nice thing about this game is that it’s inexpensive.  The Fisher Price website lists the retail price as $7.00.  You can’t beat the price for the number of activities you can make up with this game.  Overall, I give Fisher Price’s Go Fish Game a thumbs up.

Have your kids played Fisher Price’s Go Fish Game?  What do you think?

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The Teeter Twirl is intended for kids ages 6 and up.  It’s not just a traditional see-saw.  The Teeter Twirl goes not just up and down, but it spins in circles, too.

The Teeter Twirl is just $59.99.  This seems like a great toy!  If you have the Teeter Twirl or have seen it in use before, leave a comment and share your opinions on it.  Is it really as cool as it looks?

Image source: Toysrus.com

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My problem is this – first, bounce houses are expensive, but honestly, renting one a couple of times ends up costing as much as a small bounce house from Toys ‘R Us would cost.  I need something that’s big enough to fit three kids, so it can’t be too small.  But I wonder, is it realistic that I would actually pull a bounce house out, fill it up, then take it down and put it away only to do the whole routine over again, and again and again (we’re not allowed to keep a bounce house up for an extended period of time in our neighborhood).  What to do?  I still can’t decide.

What do you think?  Share your experience and thoughts in the comments below and help me decide if I should buy a bounce house or just rent one again for the triplets’ birthday this summer.  If you bought one and love it, which one do you have?  The bounce house in the picture above is on sale through Little Tikes for just $199 (a rental costs at least $100), but I worry about the quality.  I’m sure the quality of the Little Tikes bounce house is not as sturdy as the professional grade bounce houses that rental companies provide.  Please help me decide what to do!

Image soure: Little Tikes

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Here’s the list I compiled about a year ago. What other items would you add to these lists?

photo credit: zappowbang

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I’m a pack rat, but I’m really trying to get away from that side of my personality. It’s not healthy! And I need to start with some of the kids’ stuff so that I’m not passing on this frustrating trait to them. I’ll probably end up taking most of it to Goodwill, as I’m too disgorganized to ever get a yard sale going, nor to remember to take time to get stuff to a consignment shop. Here, though, are the options that come to mind when I think of places to take the toys:

• Goodwill
• Salvation Army
• Consignment Shop
• eBay
• Shelter for the needy
• Children’s Hospital
• Library (ooh! I told them I’d bring some there)
• Yard Sale
• Kids’ Stuff Sale (second hand)
• Church Nursery
• Daycare
• Stick it all out on the front lawn with a “free” sign (would that freak people out?)
• Friends with younger kids (Thank you to all who have thought of us!)

I have to say, I’m always hesitant to pass toys onto a shelter just because I’m afraid of the toys looking worn or second hand. I’d love to be able to supply them with brand new toys so that kids that don’t have much can still have the experience of being the first person to play with a new toy! Ah well.

Anyway, these are the things that I can think of to reduce waste and reuse resources. What additional ideas do you have?

photo credit: Hey Paul

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For about the past month, my middle child has been asking daily for the countdown until his birthday (we’re still well in the 30s, I believe). Recently, when his dad asked him what he might want for his birthday, one of his answers was, “A telescope…..a bug telescope.” I’m guessing he meant microscope, and I’m wondering if something like the toy pictured here would do the trick.

I’d say that I wasn’t prepared for boys and the whole bug thing, but the truth is that the most bug-crazy child we know is a little girl. She’s a good friend of my daughter’s and will happily run around gathering bugs in a princess dress. For awhile, she seemed inseparable from her bug house. My kids thought it was one of the coolest things ever. Maybe it’s time for a bug house in our family. As long as their are no spiders or roaches involved. EVER. ewwww….

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So, I mentioned awhile back that, as a family, we’re trying to think and act a bit more eco-friendly in our home. We’ve made some big strides in composting and recycling, and a bit better in just buying less stuff (never a bad thing, I think!). The kids love helping to figure out what can and can’t go in the compost bowl, and trips to the recycling bin are coveted “helper” roles for all the kids—even the 2 year old! Very fun.

A b5media blog that I’ve been enjoying recently is Tree Hugging Family written by Jennifer Chait. In her blog, she shares tons of ideas on getting the kids involved in helping take care of, and have an appreciation for, the environment. Here are a few that I liked:

Just How Strong Are Plants?
Color Your World Green
10 Fun Organic Gardening Projects for Kids

What are some of the ways you’re passing on eco-friendly lifestyles to your kids?

photo credit: Elsie esq.

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The reason so many toys were recalled this summer is not that there weren’t enough regulations. It’s that toy makers were ignoring the regulations that are already on the books.

Here’s the article in its entirety from Slate.com pointing to some of the issues still at hand.

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Okay, so, I’m making my way through the sites that Jennifer mentioned in the comments here, and I started with PsychoBaby and it made me laugh. Okay, the site itself didn’t make me laugh (though some of the products were cracking me up). But I started laughing because it reminded me of a backpack that I was shown the other day. A friend had bought this adorable little pink backpack for her daughter, completely girly with roses all over it. It wasn’t until she got it home that she noticed images of skulls intermingled with all of the roses in the print of the fabric. That cracked me up. (Yes, I know, it doesn’t take much!)

Anyway, looks like there are some cute and fun (and most definitely unique!) products over at PsychoBaby. I especially like the hat featured above, though all my kids came out with more than their share of hair. I wonder if they carry one for Bald Man, though.

Thanks for the tip, Jennifer.

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Where do you shop when you’re looking for truly unique toys and gifts?

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