I have owned the LEGO Quatro and Duplo blocks ever since my oldest son turned a year old. Not a day goes by that my two boys don’t play with these building blocks. These kids just love to build things and stack blocks! We have also used these blocks when learning about colors and relationships, such as bigger/smaller and over/under.

The LEGO Quatro blocks are the largest of the LEGO series of blocks, intended for ages 1-3. These blocks are made of a softer material than standard LEGOs and are very easy for small children to grasp. Because of their size they do not pose a choke hazard like some of the smaller LEGOs do with very young children. The LEGO Quatro Bucket comes in a see-through bucket with 20 colorful various-sized blocks and a lid that can be used as a building base.

On the other hand, LEGO Duplo blocks are for the slightly older child, age 2-5. These are compatible with the LEGO Quatro blocks - as children grow they can connect elements from both sets using a 4-stud Duplo brick as a connector. The Duplo sets also come in several different varieties such as Thomas the Train, Dinosaurs, and Zoo Animals.

I highly recommend these LEGO sets for younger children, as they really stir the imagination and provide hours of play and creativity!

Popularity: 17% [?]

I have been using The First Years Take & Toss Straw Sippers ever since I realized that my son still couldn’t manage to handle a regular cup, but was beyond the sippy stage. My son first experience with a real cup ended up in spilled fruit punch all over my light gray carpet, and to this day a big pink stain remains right in front of the stairs on our way to our bedrooms. These convenient and inexpensive cups have saved us from living with anymore similar stains. They are durable to use over and over, in fact I have had mine for almost a year now. Yet they are inexpensive enough that you could treat them as disposables if you like. These cups come with lids and straws which limit the amount of spilling that occurs. I even use regular plastic bendy straws with these cups for even more added convenience. The only time any liquid comes out is if they completely flip the thing upside down, and even then only a few drops come out, which is better than having an entire cupful of liquid to clean up. I travel with these cups to restaurants, soccer, grandparent’s homes - you name it, they come with us.

The First Years Take & Toss Straw Sippers are compatible with the Take & Toss Spill-Proof Cups, so you can transition your child easily from a spill proof sippy to a straw cup sippy when they are ready. They come in fun bold colors, and you can even get them in Winnie the Poo, Thomas the Train, Disney, or Sesame Street themes.

Popularity: 7% [?]

The Melissa and Doug Deluxe Standing Easel is one of best birthday gifts my son received this year! This easel has seen daily use ever since we took it out of the box. Both of my boys, ages 3 and 18 months find hours of enjoyment with this great product.

The Melissa and Doug Deluxe Standing Easel is just like a professional easel, only it’s specially sized for children. The easel is made of colorful and sturdy wooden construction, and features an erase marker board, a chalkboard, and even a paper roller. On each side there are tool trays: a sturdy paint tray with cup holders for easy use and clean-up of paint, and on the chalkboard side, a tool tray that holds erasers, chalks, and clips. The Melissa and Doug Deluxe Standing Easel is ideal for kids ages 3 and up and has an adjustable height to accommodate the little ones as they grow. Also, it folds conveniently for easy storage!

The Melissa and Doug Deluxe Standing Easel goes perfectly with the Melissa and Doug Deluxe Easel Companion Set, which includes 4 bottles of poster paint, 4 spill-proof paint cups, 1 roll of easel paper, 10 jumbo triangular chalk sticks, 1 felt eraser, 1 dry-erase marker, and 4 paint brushes - all of which can be stored right on the easel themselves. For the price, functionality, great construction, and years of enjoyment, you just can’t go wrong with this easel!

Popularity: 6% [?]

I like to organize everything. I organize my house, I make lists, and I label everything. This is why I am officially in love with Mabel’s Labels! No matter how much I labeled everything in my home, I never found a method of labeling my children’s items which could withstand everyday wear and tear. Which makes me so glad I discovered Mabel’s Labels. They withstand the dishwasher, microwave, laundry and hard wearing children. I use them to label cups, clothing, toys, shoes - you name it, I have probably labeled it. And they really have held true to their claim, that they are dishwasher and washing machine proof.

Mabel’s Labels is a Canadian company specializing in personalized labels, tags, and stationary. Founded by a group of moms who would get frustrated by the amount of baby and kid stuff that would go missing when their kids would go to babysitters, daycare, and playgroup. Mabel’s Labels offer an easy way to keep track of all your children’s items. They are great for labeling school or camp items. They also make a fabulous gift for anyone that lends their stuff out: baby clothes, toys, tools, Tupperware, shoes, books, etc. They come in a variety of designs and uses - they make clothing and shoe labels which are meant to be extra-tough. Check out all their great products and order Mabel’s Labels directly from their website.

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Ultimate Back-to-School Combo Pack GIVEAWAY!

The Wise Mommy has teamed up with Mabel’s Labels to bring you a fantastic giveaway for an Ultimate Back-to-School combo Pack!

Labels in the Ultimate Back-to-School Combo pack offer playful ways to ID one’s personal belongings – jackets, uniforms, shoes, bags, pencil cases and more. These labels will withstand anything you’ll throw at them, as they are all dishwasher, microwave, laundry-safe and UV resistant. The Combo Pack is available in four NEW color combinations: True Blue, Juicy Citrus, Tickled Pink, and Pack in Black. The name on the labels can be whatever you like to a maximum of 20 characters.

This giveaway is now closed.

Popularity: 29% [?]