Fun and Games

Every child has to have a little creative play. Looking for some great educational games for the kids as we get ready for back to school? Let us tell you about some of our favorite games and fun creative play materials!

Mary's Soft dough is a soft, non-crumbly modeling dough that is fun to play with. It holds up well to lots of creative play and when stored in it's container will last up to a year. Available in just about every color, even glitter and glow in the dark. And it's safe for your children the ingredients include flour, water, salt, cream of tartar, soybean oil, food coloring and sodium benzoate.

These tubs have even been in children's meals at a Northwest staple, Burgerville!

The Clothespins! Game from Briarpatch is such a fun game for kids ages 5 and up. Hang onto your shorts! Clothespins! Is the fast paced,strategy game where players score points by completing clotheslines of matching patterns or items of laundry. But watch out for the birds they may fly off with your boxers!

The fun and new Xeko Mission Trading cards are pretty neat. With Xeko Mission: China, you will all have the opportunity to learn about China’s ecosystems and meet the endangered species that live in them.Mission: China is the newest edition of Xeko, the award-winning trading card game that introduces kids to threatened species and the world’s conservation “hot spots.” This mission includes animals like the beloved Giant Panda, critically-endangered Snow Leopard, and ferocious King Cobra. The Xeko Mission: China starter set comes packaged in a stunning pagoda box decorated with animals from China’s habitats and dragon illustrations that capture the mysteries of ancient Chinese culture. Piquing kids’ interest in endangered animals and environmental conservation, Xeko seeks to inspire the next generation of eco-leaders through enriching and exciting game play.

Mission: China’s MSRP is $24.99; 9-card booster packs are $3.99. Consumers can buy the games at specialty toy and game stores nationwide, and Mission: Indonesia and Mission: China will be at Barnes & Noble stores nationally in August


Braincandy is a Seattle based children’s media company whose mission is to create educationally inventive, enriching, entertaining products that help young children learn about themselves as they fully experience the world around them. Young children are amazing! They come into the world ready to be challenged and to learn. Our vision is to create products that continue to provide opportunities for them to grow through experience and active play. Throughout our content we weave positive, encouraging examples and images of young children, puppets and animation all of which motivate young children to interact and participate. The content in Braincandy begins to lay the foundation for healthy social, emotional and physical development.

Do you remember when these first came out and how all of the kids had to have one? Yes, even us Mommies loved Tamagotchi. Now our kids can too. Tamagotchi is $14.99, a Tamagotchi isn’t a big investment, so if you have kids aged eight or over, these are certainly worth considering; even better if you have two kids in the house. And they’re pretty sturdy compared to other portable electronic devices, so they can take being toted around in a backpack. The Tamagotchi accessory pack (desktop software, microphone and mouse pad) lists at $34.99.

Sid The Science Kid is a new TV program set to air in September. SID THE SCIENCE KID is a new educational animated television series using comedy to promote exploration, discovery and science readiness among preschoolers. This landmark production of 40 half-hour episodes, co-produced by The Jim Henson Company and KCET/Los Angeles for PBS KIDS®, debuts on September 1, 2008, as part of the popular PBS KIDS preschool destination, the hosted two-hour morning block and online destination.

Our kids had such a blast watching the first episode and can not wait for the show to air.

The Magnetic Weekly Calendar from 2 Fish Toys is perfect for showing your little ones how our days are organized. It's colourful, playful and personalized to your day and week. It will teach your child about the different days of the week, seasons, weather and more. Help your child participate and anticipate their daily and weekly routines and learn, all at the same time.

Bon Bon Bebe offers many amazing products from clothing, to toys even educational items.

We will choose a winner for each of the following prizes:

• ONE winner will receive a Magnetic Calender from Bon Bon Bebe
• FOUR winners will receive a prize pack from Sid The Science Kid
• FIVE winners will each receive one Tamagachi
• ONE winner will receive a "See My World" (the 1st in the series), a Bruce Brain puppet, and a music CD from Brain Candy
• ONE winner will receive a Xeko Mission Game
• ONE winner will receive a Clothespins! Game from Briarpatch
• FIVE winners will recieve a Rainbow Tub

To enter to win ONE of the above EIGHTEEN prizes, just leave us a comment on this post sharing the title of your kiddo's favorite book.

Make sure that you have read and are following our Contest Guidelines.

For extra entries you may do the following:

• Blog about this giveaway, or the event, on your site and leave us an extra comment
• Add our main banner to your sidebar and let us know!

All giveaways will end on September 5th

To see ALL the giveaways for the Back to School Event you can find them here.