Tags for Everything - KiddoTags Review and Giveaway

The first day of school came and Arielle went off to first grade with her customized lunch box from Yubo.

Arielle adores her lunchbox, and she would be so sad if it got lost. I am glad she loves her lunchbox, and I would be annoyed if it got lost because lunchboxes are not cheap.

What can I do to help Ari and her lunchbox to stay together? I can use a sharpie and  write her name (and then I can't pass down the cute lunchbox) or I can get KiddoTags. 

KiddoTags are customizable name labels that stick to your lunchboxes, bottles, toys, pacifiers.... anything.  etc.   They are super durable and waterproof, dishwasher-proof, microwave safe, UV-resistant and scuff-proof.

You design your own using 80 character icons, 12 different label colors and 19 different fonts.

There are even shoe labels and iron-on labels for clothing.

The company is owned by a stay-at-home mom and everything is designed and printed in the United States.

I bought each girl a Kiddo Tags value pack ($34.99).  The pack game with a variety of labels in different sizes.  I designed each girl's tags to reflect her likes. Arielle's have owls and are pink.  Linnea's are yellow with cute cats.

I labeled water bottles...

...the little bins inside the lunchboxes (yes, these have been going through the dishwasher daily for a few weeks) ...

... all the individual parts of the lunchboxes (overkill, but moms like stickers, too.)...

...how useful!

KiddoTags are also great for labeling school supplies (a requirement at our school and this looks so much prettier than scrawling in Sharpie).

The value pack came with shoe labels, an excellent idea if your child takes gymnastics or ballet or another sport where shoes sometimes end up piled in cubbies.  I must remember to label the ballet and tap shoes!

It also came with two hanging backpack tags.  I also put a sticky tag inside.

KiddoTags aren't just for things that go to school; I labeled the girls' bicycle helmets.

I got some last-name-only tags for Dad's lunch box and my water bottle and even the bottom of my camera since it comes with me a lot.

I also bought a pack of iron-ons for coats.  I did last name only since the girls hand down and pass on their clothes to their cousins.  The iron-ons are in the laundry room waiting for a free moment.

When my friends first mentioned KiddoTags, I thought labeling your kids stuff was a bit obsessive.  Then I got the note from school and looked at the site.  The cuteness won me over.  Once I tried them, I completely understood what the raves were about.  I love these things!

Try them out and get 20% off your first order by signing up for the KiddoTags newsletter.

One of our lucky readers will get to try out KiddoTags.  KiddoTags will give one Sara's Toy Box reader a pack of 30 Mini Kiddos with a free *dwink* Box Holder in pink or blue only.  To enter, all you have to do is go to the KiddoTags website and push the "Like" button.  Then let me know that you like KiddoTags by posting here or on our facebook page.

The winner will be announced on October 4.

Here's Linnea, all KiddoTagged and ready for her first day of preschool.

A secret..... shhhhh......

Sara's Toy Box is hosting a charity auction. The auction will take place on October 1st - as long as everything gets here on time.

The owner of a toy store that we love (and a supporter to our blog) had an emergency appendectomy a few weeks ago. She is a cancer survivor as well as self-employed, and she can't get affordable health insurance. So now she has a $26,000 hospital bill on top of missing her children's first day of school and just some tough life stuff that happened around that time.

So, because we can make a difference for her, Sara's Toy Box is sponsoring an auction to help her out.

The auction will be on HyenaCart. I will post the link once we get the site set up.

What do we have? We have four great gift baskets... one for a boy, one for a girl, one for a baby and one for mom. There will also be individual items and a couple of cool surprises. I'll be posting pictures of everything on the blog and on the auction site in the next few weeks. We have Holztiger, Sarah's Silks, Mary's Soft Dough, handmade dolls and swords and heirloom baby rattles, a balance board, Boom Boom cards, organic stuffed animals, a science kit.... so much. There are even rumors of a Bamboletta Doll (unconfirmed) and a private concert (confirmed)... So, do some Christmas shopping and help out a great woman.

Science Kit Review and Giveaway from Toys and Games Online

Hello all! My name is Donna, and my crew and I are looking forward to helping out here at Sara's Toy Box with reviews and fun -- I have four little girls who are all curious and creative ladies.

Recently we had the pleasure to review the Space Exploration Kit ($31.40) from Thames and Kosmos that was sent to us from Toys and Games Online


As a homeschooling family we're always on the look out for interesting, fun and easily accessible science kits that are also reasonably priced! The prices at Toys and Games Online for this science kit were similar to what I'd found elsewhere.

We are already familiar with the brand Thames and Kosmos and their science kits because we ordered their Chem 2000 kit for our oldest daughter's chemistry lab this year. She's starting 6th grade and she needed some serious science – that science kit is going to work out GREAT for her and for her sisters as they get older. I can tell already that it's well worth it.

The Space Exploration Kit is recommended for kids aged 8 and up.

We had to do this review over the course of a few days because there are just SO many things to do in this kit. There's still more we need to cover, but we're going to have to wait until it gets dark earlier so we can see some stars before bedtime!

Today you'll get to meet my twin daughters ... they are goofy 8 year olds who aspire to be on Mythbusters when they grow up ... Rachel and Mara -- this was their favorite constellation they learned about ... Gemini, the twins.



We began our cool science kit by reading some directions. They're rather easy to follow but there are a number experiments that require adult supervision. And, if left to their own devices my girls might not actually learn WHY something happens; it's all the better if I'm there to get them to listen to an explanation as well.

We put together a simple telescope and tried it out – learned about how the lenses work …



Then we put together a pretty nifty model of the solar system that now hangs in the girls' room below the ceiling that already had glow in the dark stars all over it … We talked about the phases of the moon and watched it changed in by putting together a little flip book.



A few days later we got some free time to open up the kit again, this time we got to learn about rockets, which I couldn't get a good picture of – that little thing really took off! The girls also loved being able to go check the time on the sundial and learn about some constellations – we've hung the pictures of them in their window and they're hoping when they can have a nice starry night they can find some constellations all on their own!



Want to go back to school with your own space exploration kit? Sara's Toy Box is giving away a $40 gift card to Toys and Games Online. To enter, go to their website and pick which awesome educational games or educational toys you'd get for the little scholar in your life. Then come back here and tell us what you would pick and why; add some contact info in your comment and we'll choose a winner next week! If posting your contact info makes you uncomfortable, you can also enter by sending us an email or a message on Facebook.

A new coupon code from Down To Earth Toys

Free shipping on  natural toys and toys made in the USA from Down to Earth Toys.  Just use coupon code "SARA" through September 30, 2010 on orders over $25.

Check out the new arrivals.  Down to Earth has some great European toys, including pots and pans from Portugal,and child-size garden tools from Hungary.

Aluminum pot with lid ($17.95)

Child-sized garden tools ($14.50)

Happy Birthday to Arielle

Did you notice our new bird wallpaper? That was in celebration of Arielle's 6th birthday. Arielle had a bird themed, birthday party and I thought I'd share some pictures for those looking for eco-friendly party ideas and kids activities.

First we built bird houses.  These bird houses are made by GreenBird out of recycled paper.  They are easy to assemble and last from spring to fall. Small birds like wrens, nuthatches, tufted titmouses and Carolina chickadees will build nests in the houses. The houses are $12.99 each or $66 for twelve - the bulk savings made them a reasonably priced party activity.

We did need adults to assemble the houses, but then the kids got to go all out ith painting them. Green Bird sells eco-friendly milk paint, but I didn't realize it had to be pre-mixed so we used regular poster paints.

After the bird houses, we planted bird flowers.  The Echinacea (Cone Flower) seeds were also from GreenBird.   They come in a six inch seed pie which can be cut into smaller pieces.  You just fill the pot with dirt, put in a piece of seed pie and gently cover it with more dirt.  Then water and wait for it to grow.

Then we decorated the pots with stickers. The party was a few weeks ago and we now have little sprouts.


Of course, there was a lot of running around, playing dress-up, checking out the play food in our toy kitchen and a fun game of pin-the-beak-on-the-cockatoo. Everyone got prizes.

Then snacks and cake.  Arielle and Linnea made bird's nest cookies to fit in with bird theme.

A pink roses, butterflies and birds cake:

Arielle loved it.  She claimed it was the best birthday ever!

Our friends went home with bird houses, flower pots and a bag of bird seed.

The party bird stickers are from Kristin Sanchez on Etsy.

Happy 6th Birthday, Arielle.

Coming up soon -

I think I mentioned that CSN stores have asked us to be regular bloggers. CSN is a group of online stores that sells everything from table lamps to cribs. But, we like Toys and Games Online and right now they have 20% off educational toys, arts and crafts (code is "back2schooltoys". So check them out.

And, we'll be bringing good toy reviews and giveaways soon.

Boom Boom Cards at Giving Gifts

Arielle and Linnea have been learning about good deeds. They play a game called "Fairy" with their big sister. At first, the fairy just granted wishes. But, some little girls were getting greedy and making a lot of wishes. So the fairy said, "You must do three good deeds first."

"What's a good deed?", they asked.

The Boom Boom cards from Giving Gifts arrived just in time. What are Boom Boom cards?

Boom Boom Cards Original Deck ($12.00)

Boom Boom cards are a deck of 26 cards. Each card is printed with an act of kindness. You do the act of kindness, log it on the website and pass the card on to a friend.

The girls were very excited to do the good deed. Arielle read the card.

Our first good deed was "Plant a seed!" This was easy because we had cone-flower seeds left over from Arielle's birthday party (more about that in a few days). Cone flowers or Echinacea are especially Earth-friendly because they provide food for birds and butterflies.

The seeds are from Green Bird.






Then we decorated the pots with stickers. Not so Earth-friendly, but fun.





After we did our good deed, I went to BoomBoomCards.com and registered our deck. When you register, you can choose a charity that will receive a donation. We chose NatureBridge, a non-profit organization that helps students connect with nature through activities in outdoor classrooms.

I wrote about our activity and posted the picture. Now, I'm sending the card to Eleanor who will write about her family's experience.

The next card says make a card for someone who lives far away. Good idea. The girls can't wait.

Giving Gifts is a Canadian company that sells eco-friendly and fair trade toys and gifts that are good for both the recipient and the environment.

In addition to the Boom Boom Cards Family Edition ( $16.00) that we used, they sell beautiful Blabla bird rattles ($30.00), natural art products, Envirosax (cool Sesame Street ones), lunch boxes and other treats.

Giving Gifts has offered our readers ten percent off all purchases. The code is "Sara10." That's another good deed.

The Winner Is.........

Congratulations Betsy, the winner of the $25 gift card to Franklin Goose.

Betsy likes the all-natural art supplies from Clementine Art. We do, too.

Thank you, Franklin Goose.

Duck... duck... no, it's Franklin Goose

Franklin Goose is a company that is devoted to selling safe, organic and natural products for babies, children and families. They sent us an organic, stuffed Franklin Goose doll ($35) to review.

Linnea saw Franklin and yelled "Mine!!!!"; she grabbed him and ran away. I then spent weeks looking for Franklin, so I could write the review. He is one busy goose with hardly a moment to answer questions. But, eventually I pinned him down.

- So Franklin, how have you been?

"Well, I'm always traveling.



I love to explore and recently I had a chance to visit the Virginia countryside.



And, check out the wild flora. Mmmm... the flowers are tasty.



It is very hard to find time for an interview.



With hardly a moment to rest...



...before I'm on the go again."



In addition to extensive traveling, cuddling and flower tasting, Franklin is Franklin Goose's spokes-goose. Franklin Goose offers natural, organic, and chemical safe toys for your baby and child. Their toys are natural, organic, or made of recycled materials. Paint is lead free. And they carry no electronic or synthetic toys. Franklin is a good example and he works hard to live up to their ideals. Franklin is made in New York by Ecoleeko out of organic cotton sherpa, hand-dyed bamboo fleece, bamboo yarn, and kapok fiber filling. He is sewn with organic thread, and is machine washable on the delicate cycle.

Franklin is the perfect size for a car pillow, throwing at your sister, and of course a good game of Duck, Duck, Goose!

And, Franklin asked me to tell you about our new giveaway. One reader will win a $25 gift certificate to the Franklin Goose website. To enter, visit Franklin Goose, take a look and their awesome collection of toys and baby care products and then come back here and tell us how you would spend the gift certificate. Just post a comment with some sort of contact information at the end of this blog post. Franklin will draw the name of the winner on August 10.

I'm back!

We moved and we're finally settled in our new home on the outskirts of Washington D.C. It's a big adventure after six years of living in a northern farming community.

New Playroom

The new house has a great play space. The basement family room is large enough that we could divide it into TV space for big kids and play space for little kids.


Lots of Trofast storage furniture from IKEA means we can store all the toys. And, the little alcove outside the laundry room makes a great play kitchen.



My home office is behind the white doors.


Best of all, the playroom opens up to an awesome back yard. Arielle has been looking for fairies.



Other big news:

Arielle started kindergarten. I'm working almost full time now and I can't really do justice to home schooling. The local schools are excellent, so Arielle attended the last two and a half weeks of kindergarten.
She loved it!

She also lost her first tooth. The tooth fairy brought shiny silver dollars and a great book about tooth traditions all over the world. The book is available on Amazon.

We have ballet and swim lessons coming up this month. I recently read that swimming lessons are the best way to protect your children from drowning. Grandma has a pool and lives near the beach, so swimming lessons here we come.

Coming up on the blog:

Toys and Games Online has asked us to do monthly reviews or giveaways in exchange for a little advertising. I'll be posting more about that this weekend.

An organic Franklin doll just arrived from Franklin Goose. We'll be doing a giveaway as well :0)

Check out the eco-friendly toys at Down to Earth Toys . Most of the toys are made in the U.S.A., but there's a brand new selection of European toys, including some realistic cookware. Like us, our friend Carrin is very concerned about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. So, Down to Earth Toys is donating a percentage of every purchase to help with clean up efforts. There's a lot of wildlife at risk.

And, a store review and coupon code are coming soon from our new Canadian friends at Giving Gifts. Giving Gifts offers a variety of eco-friendly products for families.

And lots more.

Thank you for hanging in there and I appreciate all the supportive emails.