As a mom of three active boys, I know all too well the feeling of kids bouncing off the walls indoors when they’ve had too much time on electronics or just too much time sitting around.

When they start climbing on furniture and jumping on each other, I know it’s time to get out and release energy.

That’s why over the years, we’ve loved all sorts of active outdoor play — or when indoors, we’ve just let the kids bounce on the couches or resorted to home-made crash pads to soften their falls.

But one of our favorite less messy and safer alternatives has been a ready-to-go bounce house for both outdoor AND indoor use (if you have the space)!

That’s why I “jumped” at the opportunity to check out one that could stand the test of time and weight, from POGO Bounce Houses — designed for residential use, but with the strength and durability of commercial-quality material.

Crossover Rainbow Castle Smiley Face Bounce House + Slide

POGO offers several style bounce houses and slides that appeal to kids of all ages, but this one especially caught our eye. The bright rainbow colors, smiley face, and ample 12×12 room for bouncing are ideal for my growing boys with tons of energy.

We got the combo bounce house with a built-in 4.5 ft slide — perfect for a little thrill after the bouncing. It comes with a splash pool attachment to add even more fun possibilities when used dry or wet. The little pool can be filled with balls, soft blocks or their gym mat for extra cushion when coming down the slide, or of course, with refreshing water for those hot days — there’s even a built-in mister to cool kids off as they head down the slide!

And if you’re worried about quality, it’s reassuring to know that POGO bounce houses are not your typical inflatable bounce houses — their crossover bouncers are constructed with 100% vinyl material much stronger than the more common, cheaper nylon inflatables. They feature multiple layers of double and quadruple stitching to last for years.

We saw this in action as multiple kids jumped together and the bouncer endured — and if you go over the weight limit (about 4 kids, 500 lbs for ours) the option to add a second blower is key to prevent deflating!

Although we’ve only had the Rainbow Castle for a couple of weeks, we’ve already found SO many ways to get creative.

Below are 5 ways we’re getting the most out of our POGO bounce house (and how you can too, year-round!

Releasing energy

As I mentioned, my boys have a lot of energy, and releasing that energy is a big goal of ours. So whenever weather permits, we will take advantage and let them bounce around in the yard to let go and burn energy more safely.

Physical exercise

Along with releasing energy, our new bounce house is perfect for engaging the boys in more physical activity (and away from screens!). This way they can jump up and down, flip, slide, dive and move as much as their little hearts desire all while getting a workout in.

Motor Skills & Coordination

Yes! If you’ve ever stepped foot in a bounce house, you surely know how much coordination is needed to keep your balance! Not only do you need coordination to jump up and also land where you want, but you also need the skill to carefully time your movements and not crash into other kids! I love knowing that our bouncy house helps my kids get better body control, learn spatial awareness, and strengthen those motor skills as they play!

Boredom buster

I’ve lost count of the number of times my kids have uttered those words… “Mom, I’m bored!” It’s as though they need to always be “doing something” right?! Lucky for us, we have this big ole’ bouncy house to minimize the boredom. And I find they can get so creative in their play, they start with bouncing and then end up in an imaginary play for hours on end.

Birthday parties

How can you see a bounce house and not think of birthday parties? I know that’s always on my mind, especially as a mom with 3 back-to-back spring birthdays. We broke out the Rainbow Castle for our middle guys’ recent party and hope to use it again next month for our oldest’s birthday. It’s an easy way to up-level any kids’ party and just brings so much joy and excitement to everyone’s eyes!

If you’ve been considering a bounce house for your kids or getting an early start to your birthday/holiday shopping, check them out! You can learn more about POGO and see the array of bounce houses they offer like the Rainbow Smiley Crossover, here.

I received the featured product to facilitate this review. However, all opinions are 100% my own. To hear more as we share our experience, follow on Instagram stories.

Ana @ Mommy's Bundle

Ana, a mom to three rambunctious little boys, has supported hundreds of thousands of women throughout their pregnancy and motherhood journey since 2012 as a blogger and maternal health advocate at MommysBundle.com.

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The post Rainbow Castle Smiley Face Bounce House Slide Combo Review appeared first on Mommy's Bundle.

No one wants to picture that dreaded scene during bath time, especially when your toddler really needs to get clean.

Luckily, I’ve found a few tips that have helped end our bath time struggles. In fact, nowadays when we utter “bath” our two boys jump for joy and race to find their favorite bath toys. What a difference time and a few adjustments have made!

This post may contain affiliate links.

1. Toys

This should be a no-brainer. To make bath time less of a “chore” for toddlers means making it all about fun play time rather than just getting clean. But don’t grab any old bath toys. Think of the toys that your child enjoys playing with most. Is it animal figurines? Under the sea creatures? Stacking cups? Whatever it is, make sure you incorporate those into bath time. Once those favorite toys are part of the process, bath time will just mean fun water time :).

2. Toy Storage

Now that you’ll have an assortment of toys cluttering your bath (hehe), you’ll need to find a little space to store them neatly for easy access next time.

We’ve tried several toy storage ideas, but really love our Whale Sea Scooper!! Not only is it a fun-looking bright addition to the bathroom, it is also large and sturdy enough to hold a number of our favorite bath creatures.

My boys love using it to scoop up all the other animals come clean-up time. The holes allow the whale to drain water so toys dry quickly.

Another plus? You can easily attach it to the wall to make room for all the splashin’ around.

3. Tear-Free Wash

It goes without saying, that a shampoo/conditioner or body wash used on little ones should be tear-free. Although it can be tempting to buy a wash based on the cute character packaging, if it contains harsh chemicals that can irritate the skin or eyes, it should be avoided.

I love to keep it simple with Aquaphor baby wash — perfect for delicate skin and won’t provoke unnecessary tears.

4. Tear-Free Rinse

For some reason, my kids HATE when it comes time to wash their hair. They are fine with splashing about and making all sorts of water mess, but anytime the water touches their heads it’s a different story. That’s why I have to be very cautious and gentle when rinsing shampoo from their little heads.

In the past, I tried a few things that didn’t quite work: a washcloth (which didn’t quite get all the suds out) and of course, a regular cup for rinsing (which only caused more tears!).

But when I started using this Rinse Cup from Nuby, the number of tears dropped dramatically! The tear-free edge is soft and contoured so it can be gently placed against the skin to help prevent water from running into baby’s eyes while rinsing their hair. That is simply genius! I wish I had discovered this cup a few years ago!!

5. Safety Accessories

Safety in the water is major deal so I couldn’t leave it off the list. Besides keeping an eye on kids while they play in the bath and monitoring water temperatures, it’s important to make sure that any injuries are avoided. Whether that means adding a no-slip mat the tub or making sure the faucet is covered with a little cushion like this adorable Hippo Water Spout Guard, safety shouldn’t be neglected.

This spout cover is perfect for protecting little heads from accidents as they focus on the water fun around them.  We love how the hippo’s mouth can alternate between free-flowing water and a spray water from the hippo’s nostrils — keeps things entertaining :)!

So if you haven’t yet found a way to simplify the bath time process, make a few small adjustments like these to see how much fun bath time can become for everyone!

What are some bath time must-haves your family uses?

Disclosure: I received products samples from Nuby to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

Ana @ Mommy's Bundle

Ana, a mom to three rambunctious little boys, has supported hundreds of thousands of women throughout their pregnancy and motherhood journey since 2012 as a blogger and maternal health advocate at MommysBundle.com.

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Remember how much fun you had playing the Wii? It was an action-packed video game system that enabled an adult to feel like a kid again and get a little exercise in the process!

If you have small children that were too young for the Wii, LeapFrog’s LeapTV is the perfect solution. It’s an educational gaming system designed specifically to keep small kids moving and learning. And with the days growing colder and colder, this is an amazing way to help kids burn off some energy indoors!

Why the LeapTV is Ideal for Small Children

Makes Learning Fun

The number one reason, your kids will love playing with their new LeapTV is simply because of all the fun they will have. With more than 100 games and apps to explore, the LeapTV helps little ones learn through motion to get their minds and bodies moving. They can practice dancing, jumping, or even racing and skating with their favorite characters like Elsa and Anna!

The gaming system is all about kid-friendly themes and play patterns to keep those little minds actively engaged.

3 Ways to Play

Playing is never boring with the LeapTV which offers three different ways to have fun. Kids can shake and tilt the controller for fast-paced playing with the classic control; They can twist, turn and move all around using the controller as a pointer; Or they can go all out with their entire body: dancing, jumping and karate-chopping as their unique movements control the on-screen action so they can see themselves on TV! How fun is that?!

Made for Young Kids

One of our favorite things about the LeapTV is how age appropriate the system is. The controllers are ergonomically designed to make it easy for little hands to manage, while the simple interface makes it intuitive for kids to navigate through.

And because it’s specifically for kids age 3-8, the audio instructions makes it much easier for a pre-reader like ours to follow along.

We have a very active 3 year-old who gets a bit of cabin-fever every winter when we are confined indoors. He is ALWAYS wanting to watch his dad play video games or build characters on the TV, so will really love having a gaming system made just for him.

This will also be one, brilliant way to help him burn-off energy in a fun and educational manner. We can’t wait for him to open it this Christmas!!

Be sure to check out the LeapTV this holiday season for your loved ones. You can find it on sale for more than 50% off (down from $129) HERE while supplies last!

Connect with LeapFrog on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more fun learning products!

Find more ways to help an active child burn off energy indoors?

Ana @ Mommy's Bundle

Ana, a mom to three rambunctious little boys, has supported hundreds of thousands of women throughout their pregnancy and motherhood journey since 2012 as a blogger and maternal health advocate at MommysBundle.com.

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The post LeapTV: A Video Game to Keep Small Kids Active Indoors appeared first on Mommy's Bundle.

Ever since my toddler was born, his 3 year-old brother has been craving extra attention. And unfortunately sometimes that takes the form of acting out to make sure mommy notices…which of course then has the same effect on the little one. So you can imagine how difficult dividing time between my boys is.

I was therefore intrigued when I learned about My Friend Teddy — a teddy bear that interacts with little ones, doing everything from talking and laughing to learning and reading with them!

If you grew up in the 80’s you may recall a childhood favorite, Teddy Ruxpin — a similar-looking interactive teddy that read via cassette player. If you were a fan of that toy, you’ll be excited to hear about everything the super cuddly My Friend Teddy can do to help you manage time between your children.

My Friend Teddy Features

Interactive

My Friend Teddy is an interactive plush bear that talks, sings and reads to your little one. He can be personalized to learn everything about your child from their favorite games and foods to what they want to be when they grow up. This is a great feature because then Teddy can incorporate what he knows into engaging story time and conversation.

Touch & Motion Sensitive

When you press Teddy’s belly he begins talking. But the fun doesn’t stop there. Turn him upside down and he’ll say things like “wee — everything looks funny when your’e upside down”. It’s as if he is really alive!

Kid-Safe

Works off-line and does not connect to the internet. So although he can talk to your child based on the app settings, he is programmed to be use appropriate language for little ones.

Grows with your child

Once you configure the My Friend Teddy app to include your child’s age and info, Teddy adjusts his level of play. So each activity increases in complexity as your child grows, making it an incredibly fun learning tool for preschoolers.

Setting Up

My Friend Teddy starts talking to your child the moment you flip on the switch, but to get the most out of him, you will need to download the free app via Google Play or iTunes.

Then you simply fill out your child’s profile to include all his personal info and favorite things so Teddy will adapt to your child’s settings once you sync the info from your phone or tablet to the bear.

Playing

My boys LOVE My Friend Teddy!  There is just so much to do with the toy to keep them engaged and happy during those moments when I need to attend to the other.

They can’t stop snuggling with the soft bear, especially when Teddy asks for a hug.

And they really are having fun reading and learning with Teddy – Teddy knows so much about them already. Having him around helps make things a little easier when I need to spend a few minutes with the other! It’s amazing to see how much he can do!

My Friend Teddy Giveaway

Want a chance to win your very own My Friend Teddy?

Simply use the Rafflecopter form to leave a comment below for your chance to win. You are also encouraged to connect on social media for additional entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway open to all US residents 18  and over. Ends 12/28.

Learn more about My Friend Teddy and get him in time for the holidays here!

Ana @ Mommy's Bundle

Ana, a mom to three rambunctious little boys, has supported hundreds of thousands of women throughout their pregnancy and motherhood journey since 2012 as a blogger and maternal health advocate at MommysBundle.com.

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The post My Friend Teddy {Review & Giveaway} appeared first on Mommy's Bundle.

Motherhood has a way of filling you with the most abundant joy and love imaginable. You are overflowing with emotions after bringing a beautiful new life into the world and ready to do anything and everything possible for them.

I adore my children with all my heart. My two lovable rambunctious little boys who are always testing the limits…and teaching me so much about motherhood in the process.

But there are moments when it can also be extremely overwhelming, leaving you feeling broken and defeated, especially after a bad day or two.

As your new little bundle of joy grows from infant to toddler, life can become a little complicated, each day bringing new challenges to face.

Yelling. Cleaning. Chasing. Disciplining.

This can become the norm for moms of babies and toddlers who are exhaustedly changing diapers and blowouts, breaking up scuffles and reprimanding demanding toddlers who are at the stage of asserting their independence.

Maybe you yelled a little too much today. Maybe you didn’t react as calmly as you knew you should have. Maybe you were just on edge all day and letting every little thing get to you.

It happens and can sometimes take that inner conversation we have with ourselves to a very negative place. Because we feel like we’ve failed in many ways.

Changing the Conversation

But now with another one on the way, I can’t help but be a little emotional and think about the conversation that would take place between me and my newest little boy upon our first meeting.

Just the precious look in his eyes would be enough to remind me that one bad day doesn’t make me a bad mother.

He would remind me that it’s not an easy task we are set out to do, especially moms of babies and toddlers.

There will be days when I won’t have the energy for giving the kids a bath, even though they desperately need one. 

There will be days when I’ll just have to let the baby cry-it out to finish a meal or get a moment to myself.

There will be days when letting the kids watch TV for more than an hour will be necessary for sanity’s sake.

And there will be days when crying my eyes out will be the only way to relieve the stress.

And my baby will remind me, that it’s okay. As long as I remember that it’s only a day, a week, a month…or even a year.

A moment in time that will not last forever, so don’t worry!

What will last forever, are those moments of happiness and laughter we share and cherish in our hearts…from the first smile and step to the first time on the potty and positive play date! Those are the moments that matter most and that we should put our energy into.

My precious baby will help change the conversation I have in my head and remind me to stop being so hard on myself. And this is really the conversation that matters most in motherhood.

Life Can Get a Little Messy

And let’s face reality. With tushies to wipe and blowouts that happen, motherhood is bound to get messy and be a little stressful at times. So why not embrace it and be prepared?

RELATED: Using WaterWipes at Messy PlayDates

What It Means to be a WaterWipes Moms

As a WaterWipes Mom Ambassador, I’ve had the opportunity to learn about an amazing chemical-free diaper wipe that is both preservative-free and ideal for baby’s delicate skin.

WaterWipes, made from 99.9% water and .1% grape fruit extract, are durable and effective without any harsh chemicals added — giving us one less thing to worry about!

Because as moms we all want the best for our babies. Even though we may be a little too hard on ourselves for not always getting everything right, a WaterWipes mom just wants the best for her little ones. 

If you haven’t yet tried this amazing wipes brand, be sure to find a WaterWipes store near you!!

WaterWipes on Facebook – WaterWipes on Twitter

Ana @ Mommy's Bundle

Ana, a mom to three rambunctious little boys, has supported hundreds of thousands of women throughout their pregnancy and motherhood journey since 2012 as a blogger and maternal health advocate at MommysBundle.com.

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“Mommy, give me your phone.”

“My turn on the iPad!”

“Can I play with your computer?”

Gosh it seems that’s all I hear these days in our house with an ever-curious tablet loving 3 year old!

Although we’ve made it a point to limit electronic use in the past, in this day in age, we realize there is definitely a time and place for the educational and sanity-saving tablets.

After we got the chance to check out the LeapPad Platinum, we were thrilled to receive the latest LeapFrog Android-based tablet, the LeapFrog Epic!

How the LeapFrog Epic is Different

So what’s the big deal? Well, the LeapFrog Epic isn’t just another tablet for kids. It’s THE most advanced LeapFrog tablet with powerful quad-core processor, innovative OS based on Android 4.4, robust 16GB memory and a vivid 2MP camera!

What does all this make for? A pretty powerful learning tool!

Here are a few features that set the Epic apart:

1. Endless learning and fun.

The LeapFrog Epic provides endless possibilites for exploration, learning and playing.

Starting with the interactive home screen, kids can create and explore their own town, add characters and showcase their individual personalities – while building skills and imagination!

They have access to exclusive LeapFrog learning games and apps from virtually any interest area.

2. It grows with your kids.

The LeapFrog Epic is designed for ages 3-9. That may sound like a wide age gap, but the educational apps included adapt to your child’s skill level.

Each game encourages kids to be curious, ask questions, think critically to build their confidence and understanding so your preschooler or elementary age child is getting the best experience as they grow.

3. Customizable.

First, I love that you can add multiple profiles to the Epic, so that if you have more than one child their settings are customized immediately after login.

And not only does the Epic grow with your kid, the included technology is able to personalize games up to 10 different ways. Some games will automatically adjust the curriculum as your child plays and is programed to keep track of his/her progress from game to game.

4. Safe, Out-of-the-box web

We all know the stresses of letting your kids play with your phone or tablet…as those click-savvy fingers can get a hold of anything on the world wide web.

With the web-safe browsing on the Epic, kids have the freedom to explore as they wish.

The tablet features preloaded kid-friendly web pages for watching fun videos and educational sites and parents can also add pre-approved URLs!

5. Durable.

We all know the number of accidents that can happen when little ones are playing with gadgets.

The Epic comes equipped with a shatter-safe LCD screen and removable bumper to add smart protection against everyday drops and bumps.

So it’s reassuring to know that the LeapFrog Epic is super durable and able to withstand the power of a 3 or 4 year old.

My spooky little bear! #leapfrogmomsquad #leapfrogepic #toddlers #bearycute #leapfrogkids #kbnmoms

A photo posted by Ana @MommysBundle (@anataney) on Oct 29, 2015 at 10:24pm PDT

My 3 year-old loves exploring and learning with his Epic – lately he is all about the cooking and pet builder games.

He loved baking up some goodies with the Number Lovin’ Oven so it’s no surprise he’s into preparing grilled cheese sandwiches with the Epic’s cooking app.

And of course as an animal lover, the pet game came naturally! I’m excited to see where the curiosity will take him next on the neverending learning adventure!

You can purchase the Epic on sale this holiday on Amazon HERE.

Ana @ Mommy's Bundle

Ana, a mom to three rambunctious little boys, has supported hundreds of thousands of women throughout their pregnancy and motherhood journey since 2012 as a blogger and maternal health advocate at MommysBundle.com.

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The post 5 Reasons the LeapFrog Epic Isn’t Just Another Kid Tablet appeared first on Mommy's Bundle.

One of the reasons we love LeapFrog games and toys is because they make learning come naturally, through the experience of playing. Nothing is hard or complicated, just good old fun!

This post contains affiliate links.

Number Lovin’ Oven

Earlier this month, we got a chance to review LeapFrog’s Number Lovin’ Oven — a toy that lets little chefs learn basic math and problem-solving skills through pretend play.The learning is secretly built-in as your kid plays with the oven: the “knobs” help toddlers identify numbers and determine what “temperature” to set the oven to cook all the included goodies.  Kids can mimic mommy and daddy in the kitchen by baking bread, cupcakes and pizza!

Or if breakfast is more their thing, they can fry an egg and listen to the pan sizzle like the real thing!
Both my boys took an instant liking to the friendly oven that talks, sings and interacts with them as they cook.

The pizza pie and bread was a hit, as my 3 year-old loved taking it apart and counting pieces — it’s the easiest way to get little ones learning about fractions.

Plus, I personally loved how it encouraged him to share a slice with everyone around ;).

The Number Lovin’ Oven is a super fun (and safe!) way to get toddlers involved in the kitchen as they grow and learn a number of basic math skills!

It was one of our favorite LeapFrog toys and really makes a great gift for Christmas!

You can find it on sale at Amazon here.

Scout’s Build & Discover Tool Set

If your kid is more into building and creating, then have no fear, LeapFrog has another educational toy that is equally as fun: Scout’s Build & Discover Tool Set.

This toy is sure to keep little ones busy and happy as they build and take apart Scout’s doghouse. The set includes 5 tools (hammer, ruler, screwdriver, wrench and saw) to help little ones learn how mommy and daddy work around the house by tightening screws and bolts, hammering nails and building walls.

The tool set makes learning fun once again with interactive songs to teach counting and color matching!

My kids loved exploring the tool set and pretending to build and repair the house. We actually didn’t realize that it played songs at first — what a fun little bonus!

The tools fit nicely in the tool box and is easy for toddlers to carry via the roof/handle.

You can get the Scout’s Tool Set on Amazon here.

Similar to the Number Lovin’ Oven, the Build & Discover Tool Set builds foundational preschool skills in a fun, natural way. As a parent, I really love how these toys teach counting, measuring and color matching skills — foundational skills that give them a chance to see how these concepts apply to real-world settings!

As a LeapFrog Mom Ambassador, I receive products, promotional items and educational material to use and share as I see fit. However, any opinions expressed by me are honest and reflect my actual experience.

Ana @ Mommy's Bundle

Ana, a mom to three rambunctious little boys, has supported hundreds of thousands of women throughout their pregnancy and motherhood journey since 2012 as a blogger and maternal health advocate at MommysBundle.com.

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The post Toddler Toys to Encourage Learning Through Play appeared first on Mommy's Bundle.

Teaching colors to little ones shouldn’t be so much of a task if you’re making it fun along the way. Sure you want your toddler to know the difference between red and green (not only to ensure against color-blindness which some parents mistakenly diagnose early on), but also to prepare kids for preschool and kindergarden.

You can start as simple as pointing out colors around the house as your little one grows to expose them, but be sure to make it fun along the way with these 7 ideas for helping toddlers learn those colors:

This post contains affiliate links.

Color Books

The first place you most likely want to start, is with books. Colors are everywhere, especially in all the wonderful array of children’s tales

As you read to your child, make it a point to identify all the colors they see. Here are a few great books for learning the different colors:

• Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?
• Colors, ABCs & Numbers by Bright Baby {First 100 Series}
• Dog’s Colorful Day
• The Mixed-Up Chameleon

Color Sorting Activities

An easy way to teach colors to toddlers is to work with whatever you have around the house and have kids sort them. You can grab different fruits and veggies, soft balls and animals, or even supplies from your craft box like pom poms, popsicle sticks and crayons. Arrange them in front of your child and use a cupcake pan or bin to help your child sort similar colors.

Color Matching

Another fun idea to try is color-matching games. Grab a green ball and ask your toddler to find another green item from the toy bin. You can also mix up the lesson and ask your child to name the color as he or she looks for the matching color.

We love this super fun color cube game from Amazon which makes learning colors twice as fun!

Color Mixing

Grab some washable paints and teach toddlers all the colors of the rainbow with some fun art pieces. You can have them mix a few primary colors to see what other fun colors they create when combined.

Here are a few favorite color mixing activities you can do at home:

• Color Mixing with Ice Cubes & Water
• Sun catcher Sensory Bags
• Color Mixing Discovery Bottle

Color Learning Toys

These days you can find tons of fun, interactive toys to help your kids practice all the colors out there.

One new standout toy that adds colorful jams and songs to reinforce color learning: Magic Moves Rainbow Jam.  The electronic music maker identifies every color it touches with a a fun musical note! You can touch everything from clothes and toys to different colored objects around the house.

Talk about keeping things exciting for those active learners! If kids touch multiple colors they can compose their own musical masterpieces too — makes for festive learning activity on so many levels!

You can switch modes to hear different styles of music from rock and Latin to jazz and country – such a fun way to learn especially for music lovers.

My son loved listing to all the beats – he was fascinated by the Rainbow Jam lights illuminating in all the different colors he pressed on.

The Magic Moves Rainbow Jam toy features a 16 page musical activity book for kids to start the color-learning process. You can buy it on Amazon at 40% off HERE.

Disclosure: I received a sample to facilitate my review; All opinions are my own.

Ana @ Mommy's Bundle

Ana, a mom to three rambunctious little boys, has supported hundreds of thousands of women throughout their pregnancy and motherhood journey since 2012 as a blogger and maternal health advocate at MommysBundle.com.

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The post 7 Fun & Easy Ways to Teach Toddlers Colors appeared first on Mommy's Bundle.

Last weekend while visiting friends and family, I had the opportunity to host a fun little playdate over breakfast. The kids (and adults alike) were hungry and eager to play after a long night — baby sleepovers can definitely get a little crazy!

I knew things were bound to get messy after bagels with cream cheese, blueberry muffins, cookies and a little bit of candy for the well-behaved.

Luckily, I had the necessary supply of WaterWipes handy to introduce to both mommies and babies.

I’ve been loving these chemical-free baby wipes since I first started using them. Made from 99.9% water and .1% grape fruit extract, WaterWipes offer a natural and safe alternative to care for your little one’s sensitive skin.

And with so many harmful chemicals being used under different labels these days, it’s a topic bound to come up at a mom group. A couple of moms, were even surprised that WaterWipes could clean with only those two ingredients. But they do! The main ingredient, water, is nature’s natural cleanser and moisturizer; Grapefruit seed extract is a antimicrobial agent that fights bacteria and helps maintain good skin condition.

I was eager to chat about the wipes after letting the little ones snack away on everything that was laid out before them — they were being so patient!

After the kids had their fill of goodies, I handed out some WaterWipes samples to help the group wipe down those sticky fingers and faces. Everyone from itsy-bitsy babies to preschoolers tried the wipes – with great results: clean happy faces without the redness or harsh reactions that some everyday wipes can cause.

I had the moms jot down some of the initial thoughts that came to mind after testing the wipes. Words like: natural, gentle, pure, odor-less and delicate were written.

I also asked if WaterWipes was a familiar brand.  No one had heard of it previously. Of course, that’s not too surprising considering WaterWipes is a European brand new to the US.

After loading up on food, there were a few diaper changes to tackle. WaterWipes were abound and especially appreciated. They are ideal for use on a newborn baby’s thin delicate skin during those messy changes — and won’t irritate or exacerbate rashes like other chemical-heavy products.

Thank you to WaterWipes for allowing me to share my experience with a few friends and family – our breakfast playdate was a success :)!!

Learn more about the benefits of WaterWipes HERE!

Ana @ Mommy's Bundle

Ana, a mom to three rambunctious little boys, has supported hundreds of thousands of women throughout their pregnancy and motherhood journey since 2012 as a blogger and maternal health advocate at MommysBundle.com.

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The post Breakfast Playdate Party Featuring WaterWipes appeared first on Mommy's Bundle.

It’s no secret that my son can’t get enough of playing with the family’s iPad or iPhone — I mean what kid does? Even though I’ve made numerous attempts to keep electronics use to a minimum, it’s natural for him to gravitate towards them in this tablet-dependent day and age.

So when he is playing with electronics, I like to be sure it’s educational and safe!

LeapPad Platinum Review

As a LeapFrog Mom Ambassador, I recently had the chance to review one of their newest kid-friendly tablets, the LeapPad Platinum. The LeapPad Platinum comes with some pretty awesome features including:

• 7″ hi-res multi-touch screen
• fast processor
• Just for Me Learning Technology
• Wi-Fi with kid-safe web browser
• shatter-safe screen
• wrap-around bumper
• two cameras and video recorders
• 5+ hours of rechargeable battery
• peer-to-peer connectivity
• 8 GB memory
• 10 apps
• 1 free app download
• 1,000 + games available for purchase and download

Now first, I need to mention one of THE most important features to help ease a parent’s concerns with tablets in general: kid-safe web browsing! This is something that has always worried me about electronics — especially with click-savvy little ones who can easily navigate through the web. It’s just one less thing that moms and dads have to worry about when their child is on the internet — and I’m so glad LeapFrog understands this!

Now on to all the fun, educational features. On the home page, there are a number of included apps (plus additional for purchase) that kids can play with to learn. There is a built in camera, games, music and LeapFrog-approved videos for browsing — because we all know kids can’t stop watching trending YouTube videos!

The tablet is durable with a wrap-around bumper and shatter-safe screen which is a necessary if you have boys like mine who tend to throw things.

An added bonus? It’s also light-weight for easy traveling!

In terms of cons, the main issue we experienced was practicing our patience waiting for the apps to load and then waiting for the auto-play instructions to finish. My son was getting a bit antsy then, pressing buttons and trying to start the games…before the system allowed him to, which made him frustrated. But it’s a good lesson in listening, if you ask me!

LeapFrog Imagicards

The LeapFrog Imagicards are interactive cards that kids snap a picture of using the LeapPad to bring the cards and characters to life. These cards basically extend the play beyond traditional tablet gaming, which really sets the LeapPad apart from the competition.

We received Ninja Turtles, Paw Patrol and Letter Factory Carnival cards to try out with the LeapPad, but of course my 3 year-old, typical boy wanted to play with the Ninja Turtles cards only, even though they are intended for ages 5-8.

He loved all the characters (“good guys” and “bad”), and just wanted to check out the action. The game is great for honing mathematics skills and problem-solving, so will make a great tool as he grows and learns to add and subtract. Kids can even practice fractions in a fun way via the pizza slices – turtle style!

The Paw Patrol set, recommended for ages 3 to 5, is definitely more appropriate for him as the curriculum includes number recognition, counting, shapes, patterns, addition and subtraction…so we’ll be making use of those in the coming weeks.

The Letter Factory Carnival, recommended for ages 4 to 7, focuses on phonics, spelling, consonants, word sounds and sight sounds.

Word Whammer Review

We also got a chance to try the Word Whammer which is another awesome toy for helping kids get ready for kindergarden. This is a great word-building toy that teaches kids phonics and spelling skills.

It mimics video-game controllers, but adapted to little hands so kids can thrust, push and twist the handle to blast a rocket into letters and practice spelling over 100 words.

My 3 year-old had fun testing it out and listening to all the wacky sounds – even his little brother wanted to take a shot :).

I really love that all of these games make learning fun for kids – as it should be – and sets the foundation for them to learn to read, write and practice so many key skills for kindergarden.

Thanks again to LeapFrog for selecting me to be a part of this awesome ambassadorship! 

You can learn more about LeapFrog products and how they are helping kids get ready for school HERE and connect with them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Ana @ Mommy's Bundle

Ana, a mom to three rambunctious little boys, has supported hundreds of thousands of women throughout their pregnancy and motherhood journey since 2012 as a blogger and maternal health advocate at MommysBundle.com.

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