Tech Savvy Mama

Parenting in the Digital Age

TSM Holiday Gift Guide: TODDLER & PRESCHOOL EDITION

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Mommy’s High Heel Shoes ($16.99)– This fall I hung up my hat as a SAHM to become a PTWOHM. Unlike so many life events that are depicted in stories, I had trouble finding a suitable book that I could use to begin a discussion with my children about me going back to work. The brand new book, Mommy’s High Heel Shoes is a delightful story that discusses why parents work while celebrating working moms, family bonds, and lots and lots of shoes! The modern tale has charming illustrations that my children love to look at as they search for the ladybug, heart, and cupcake hidden on each page.
Tech Savvy Mama readers can enjoy 10% off with the coupon code SAVVY which is good until 12/31/08.

GIVEAWAY: PlaySkool Dance Cam ($49.99)– Nothing is worse than being stuck inside when the weather turns cold in the winter. Little Miss Techie and Captain Computer always have excessive enerby that needs to be burned. With the PlaySkool Dance Cam, they can groove to tunes that come with the device or shake it to James Brown when I connect an iPod and watch their moves on TV.
Enter to win your very own PlaySkool Dance Cam by leaving a comment with your e-mail address below!

LeapFrog TAG ($49.99)– TAG is a touch reading system that brings books to life but it is far more sophisticated and portable. Designed for children ages 4-8, TAG is a wireless hand held pen-like device that uses an infrared camera to recognize letters, words, and symbols to make words talk and pictures sing. When Little Miss Techie taps on a word, it reads it back to her. When she puts the pen tip on a picture, she can hear one of the characters talk. According to Little Miss Techie, “It’s magic!” And the magic is because it makes the books come alive. Choose from classic stories (Olivia and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom) For my complete review, click here.

VTech Kidizoom ($59.99) – Little Miss Techie inherited our first digital camera that is about the size of a brick. While she loves taking pictures, she enjoys using the VTech Kidizoom Camera much more. The camera has binocular like lenses that allow a child to look with both eyes, rather than squinting through one to take a photo. The shape is perfect for little hands, quite durable, and takes great pictures and movies. With 16 MB of memory that will hold 200 pictures or 5 minutes of videos, your child can click or record to their heart’s content.

Rocknoceros’ Debut Album and Dark Side of the Moonbounce ($8.99 and up)– It is no secret that Rocknoceros is our favorite band. I honestly never thought I’d love a kiddie rock band so much to be able to tolerate them as our primary source of music let alone singing along even when my children aren’t in the car. Is it totally dorky to admit that? Rocknoceros’ infectious music has creative lyrics and catchy tunes and is often compared to School House Rock for the younger generation. I credit Rocknoceros’ Blast Off for teaching Captain Computer how to count backwards before he could count from 1-10 and The Finger Counting Song for inspiring Little Miss Techie to learn Spanish. For instant gratification, download both of their CDs from iTunes or get them from Amazon if you want the physical CD with cover art. And let me know when you have United States of America memorized! I guarantee it won’t take long!

Nonny & Boo’s Hatchling ($25) and Hoodies ($34)– New site Nonny & Boo has amazing handmade stuff designed by mom Ashlee Allen. Many of the site’s products include beautiful slings, including The Hatchling, a 100% cotton reversible sling of kid-sized proportions. Little Miss Techie has a favorite stuffed bear who goes everywhere with her. She calls herself Bear’s Mommy and says that she only wants to be a mommy when she grows up. The Hatchling is a great gift for any pint sized parent-in-training, sibling-to-be, or a kid who just needs a way to carry around a favorite animal or doll. While you are picking out your favorite Hatchling print, check out the apparel. My favorites are the fleece Hoodies that have darling eco-felt details and are cozy, soft, and warm. Hoot, Rocket Boy, and Garden are my favorite. With high quality products and unique designs, these Hoodies stand out in a crowd!
Tech Savvy Mama readers can enjoy 15% off Nonny & Boo purchases with the code SAVVY15.

GIVEAWAY: BOB Books ($16.99)– Little Miss Techie loves to read and I’ve just discovered the most brilliant set of books to foster her beginning reading and give her the confidence to tackle more challenging text and learn new skills. BOB Books is an award-winning reading program that guides kids through the early stages of reading with a step-by-step, book-by-book program. It’s a carefully crafted, simple, and progressive approach to learning that assures children success and confidence from their very earliest reading experience. Each box of BOB Books contains 12 books and a parent card that offers tips on how to use the books to build reading skills. The books themselves are fun and short so kids can get a great sense of accomplishment by being able to say “I read the whole book myself!”
Enter to win a set of a set of My First BOB Books and BOB Books Set 1, which focuses on letter sounds, by leaving a comment with your e-mail address below!

The Pajama Squid’s Car Carrier Semi with Cars ($28)– Captain Computer loves anything with wheels so when I saw this awesome product on a friend’s holiday gift guide, I knew this was the gift for him. Hand crafted by a family business, this product is made out of gorgeous wood and finished with a non-toxic toy and wood oil to preserve the natural wood. Three cars on top held in place by small wooden dowels towards the front and back and one car rides below. The little cars are just the right size for small hands and the entire toy is beautifully sanded to be completely smooth. Don’t tell Captain Computer that there will be one waiting for him under our tree…I can’t wait to see his face when he opens this gift!

Little Scholastic books ($4.99 and up)– Scholastic’s new line of books in the Little Scholastic series are designed for children under 3 but are enjoyed by both Captain Computer and Little Miss Techie. Captain Computer likes hearing us read while he looks at the beautiful illustrations that accompany the text. When she joins us for a read-aloud, Little Miss Techie follows along in order to learn new words she can read independently. The back of each book provides a developmental guide on how to foster beginning reading in babies and toddlers. All of the books immerse children in a literacy experience that engages their senses and encourages them to develop a lifelong love of reading.
Get 15% off your order and free shipping with the coupon code AFFGIFT good through November 30.

LIKEaBike ($289-395)– One of the most used and well loved toys in our home is the Like A Bike, a gift from Little Miss Techie’s Ironman uncle. This pedal-less bike is a riding toy that helps children develop their motor skills and sense of balance before putting them on a real bike. The idea behind the bike is that children will learn to balance on the bike first, helping to ease the transition to a real bicycle. The bike is beautifully designed. It has an adjustable seat perfect for toddlers and preschoolers alike and its handlebars prevent young riders from jack-knifing. The handlebars can only rotate so far, rather than twisting all the way around that could make a child fall off. It is also constructed out of high quality wood and is just gorgeous! We have the Race version of the bike but LIKEaBike makes other models, like a mountain bike version with air filled tires. It is a splurge of a present but I think the high quality materials and thoughtful design truly make this a unique product that is well worth every penny. We’ve tried other pedaless bikes and they just don’t compare. Models range in price from and are available from the LIKEaBIKE website.

Crayola True to Life and MixEms ($2.99 and up)– Crayola products are classic. Their markers and crayons are art staples in our home and we’ve recently fallen in love with some of their new products. We like the True to Life Markers and True to Life Crayons whose tri-color tips produce colors and shades reminiscent of those found in nature. Captain Computer, always a fan of anything with a button, likes creating his own colors with the Mix ‘Ems Markers since the possibilities are endless. Perfect for stocking stuffers!

Fridge Wash ‘n Go Magnetic Vehicle Set ($17.49)– Captain Computer loves this toy! Designed for ages 1-3, the Wash ‘n Go teaches colors, names of vehicles, and sounds by allowing children to mix and match fire truck, train, boat, and car pieces to create over 25 different vehicle combinations by putting the magnetic pieces together. Ours lives on our fridge along with Fridge Farm Magnetic Animal Set, the animal version of the toy that allows little ones to create endless versions of real and imaginary animals.

AudibleKids Audio Books (99 cents and up, with some free downloads)– Audible Kids is a site that provides digital audio editions of children’s books. Their library has a dizzying array of audio books for all ages, even for a former teacher! There are books that have been awarded various medals like the Caldecott and Newbery, favorites (Where the Wild Things Are and Arthur stories by Marc Brown), and classics (Make Way for Ducklings and The Little Engine that Could). Create an account, browse the easy to navigate site, listen to audio previews, save titles to the Wish List to download in the future, and download your purchases into iTunes or the free PC software. With so many titles to choose from, you can always make sure your kids have their favorite books to listen to when on the go! For a more lengthy review about how the site works, click here.

Elmo’s Christmas Countdown DVD ($10.99)– If your children are big Sesame Street fans who have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of Christmas like mine have, add Elmo’s Christmas Countdown to your shopping list. The story is narrated by Stiller the Elf (Ben Stiller) who recounts how Christmas almost didn’t happen that year because he put Oscar in charge of the Christmas Counter-Downer, a tree-shaped advent calendar with 10 boxes that is used to count down to the start of Christmas. Along with Sesame Street favorites, the movie features A-Lister cameos by Sheryl Crow, Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, and Alicia Keys which makes it fun to watch as a family. For a more detailed review, click here.

MobiStories ($2.99 and up, with some free downloads)– With books that come alive, MobiStories is a great way to motivate reluctant readers or provide another way of reading books in your home by letting them read virtual books. MobiStories provides downloadable stories for ages 1-10. The books you purchase play on your full screen and have delightful illustrations. MobiStories creators don’t think that their site “should replace a parent hugging a child and reading a book together” and designed their site to give kids another way to read. Click here for my full review.
Tech Savvy Mama readers can $10 worth of MobiStories downloads for free by entering the code 231A. This offer may only be redeemed in one sitting and also expires on December 31st, 2008. Click here for directions on how to use the coupon code.

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Original post by Tech Savvy Mama
©2012

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Jen says

    We’re big fans of Rocknoceros too. We love the United States of America song – great way to teach the kids all the states. Thanks for the fun gift ideas!

  7. Christina says

    We have the Tag system and my daughter loves it.

    Someone was just mentioning the Bob Books the other day. I’d love a chance to try them out – please enter me! Thanks!

    cmcmenemy(AT)gmail(DOT)com

  8. Anonymous says

    Have you had good results with the dance cam? Some reviews have claimed that the picture is too grainy. But I’d still love to have one!

    moonshine_faery[AT]yahoo[dot]com

  10. Nicole B. says

    I feel like I’m so behind on preparing for the holidays, so these gift lists are lifesavers! I’d love to be entered for the giveaway for the car carrier – looks right up my son’s alley! Best, Nicole

    nxpana at yahoo

  11. kim says

    Thanks for the great gift ideas! We *heart* Rocknoceros as well and are soooo excited about their new CD coming out next year!

  15. Cara Fox says

    Awesome product! My music loving 4 year old techi would be all over the dance cam – pick me!

    Do you have anything to say about Leapster/Leapster 2? A friend recommended this as a good gift idea for my 3 and 4 year old boys but I don’t know anythign about it…

  17. Lindsay Lebresco says

    I feel like I’ve seen every catalog or flyer out there but these toys are different- I love the Bob books- My almost 4 yo boy would love them, I think my MIL is getting my son the tag, we have a LikeaBike which is AWESOME (though we got an imitation one at Target for 1/2 the price) and the new LeapFrog fridge thing is cool- we already have the other ones!

    Great list- thanks!

  19. LTV Mom says

    Wow, this is a great list! My sassy 4yo daughter would LOVE the DanceCam (she does song-and-dance shows for us DAILY) or the LikeABike (she has a bike but is too “light” to ride it… this would be a perfect transition for her).

    Fingers crossed!

    — LTV Mom

    laptoptelevision at yahoo dot com
    http://www.ltvmom.com

  23. bloggiedoggie says

    Hi … would love to win the V-Tech KidiZoom for the 3 year old granddaughter, Julia. I think this would be perfect for her! Thanks for the great giveaways … lots of work here!

  25. Kristin says

    I would love to be considered for the Kidz Digital Camera as my first favorite!!! I have 3 boys and all of them love to take pictures. Even my 2 year old finds my camera and is able to take pictures, but I am afraid it will get broken soon if I do not give them a kid friendly one. I also love the Dance Cam, and Bob Books. Great Gift Ideas and Giveaways!

  27. cbz says

    This is a great resource. I have done plenty of research this holiday season and I agree that Tag is fantastic. It is on the top of our list and I would love to win one for my 2 children.

    I also agree with your review of BOB Books. It is a must-have for all children who are learning to read. My oldest enjoys reading to us from them and I use them when working with other children who are learning to read.

    Thanks again!!

  28. windycindy says

    All of the prizes are wonderful! I would be a happy camper winning any one of them. My nephew would enjoy the “VTech Kidizoom!” Please add my name to your drawing. Thanks very much…..Cindi
    jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

  33. Vanessa says

    What great prizes! I would love to win any of them as my kids would be so excited. My two favorites are the Dance Cam and the LikeABike though.

    VDruckman AT hotmail dot com

  34. amym says

    I would love ot win the BOB books or the Leap Frog tag. My four year old is on the verge of reading and just needs that extra boost! Thanks!

  36. Navi says

    I’d like to win the bob books. My will be 3 on Saturday daughter is just starting to show an interest in learning to read. Though I wish the tag was part of the giveaway. I’ll have to keep an eye out for it. My autistic son likes talking books (they have them at school) and this seems like it would make any book a talking book.

  42. Kimblahg says

    My 3 yr old triplets were just dancing along to Jack’s Big Music Show on Noggin (love that show) so I can only imagine what they would do with the dance cam! Great ideas.

  43. Kimblahg says

    My kids would love the dance cam, I have been thinking about buying it (I thought I left a comment already but realized I forgot my email address so here goes again) ohdarlin at gmail.

  45. K|nneret says

    These are great ideas! Thank you for posting these.
    I’d really love the Dance Cam for my extremely active 15month and 3 year olds 🙂
    The Bob books would also be great, my 3 year old is starting to figure out the sounds of letters!

  46. Jenn (dish) says

    I love the list–great ideas! We have the fridge animals and the kids now prefer to make the goofy animal comibinations and then laugh at the song.

    I’d love a chance at the BOB books. Thanks!

  49. Marketing Mommy says

    Amazing prizes! I’d love to win the Like-A-Bike, Crayola set and Audible book downloads for my 4 year old (and her little sister, eventually).

    BTW, we LOVE the Tag reader. Worth every penny.

  51. adrianne says

    Those are so beautiful! I would love the owl hoodie and so would my little boy who is obsessed with owls!

    adrianne[dot]yang[at]gmail[dot]com

  56. Katrina Kugel says

    Hi Leticia! I love the ideas and would LOVE the playskool dance cam. Those long dark hours between 5 and 7PM just getting longer.. Thanks!