he Magical Zoo #2 - Finding Tibby

MarksvilleandMe reviews

The Magical Zoo #2 

finding Tibby

written by

Dan Jackson

As a mom I want my children to love reading, so finding books that they enjoy, and learn something from is big on my list. We have been reading books from Dan Jackson for a while now and he doesn't ever let us down with both engaging and educational books.

The Magical Zoo #2 is of course the second book in the series, takes place in a zoo, with cute characters, Sally, Milkshake her cat, a zookeeper, and of course an animal or two. They always have to figure out how to do something and there are some facts about the animals or zoo which is where the learning comes in.

Children remember better when it is given in a fun manner. In this installment, Sally, Milkshake, and the zookeeper have to figure out how to get Tibby the Tiger back where she belongs.

You can find this book and other books in the series on Amazon.



This is Sally. She is twelve years old and loves to read. Sally lives in a small town called Durham in North Carolina, and she visits the library almost two times a week. People say Sally is addicted to reading.
When Sally goes to the library, she takes Milkshake, her cat. Milkshake likes to sit on the tall stool in the library and watch Sally while she is looking for a good book to read.
Sally believes that Milkshake understands her completely, even if he can't talk to her.
It was Monday morning, and Sally did not have to go to school since it was a holiday.  What she didn't know is that this day was going to be special. 
Book #2 in the Series - Finding Tibby

Containing creative illustrations and endless imagination, this book will entertain your child and you.

You can find out more about Dan Jackson here.

Other books written by Dan Jackson.

#childrenbooks

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Tomoson and Dan Jackson. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

Autism & Special Needs Music DVD and CD

I have two daughters who are in a contained classroom setting even though they do all specials with the mainstream children they are in classrooms with children of varying ages and learning disabilities.

I have worked with children since I was about 12 years old. Over the years I have taken care of children with learning disabilities as well as children with other issues such as coming from a broken home, single working parents trying to do the best they could for their children, and some with problems that needed specialists to help them throughout their lives.

Each of them holds a special place in my heart, memory, and even in my daily life because all those years later some of them still keep in touch with me. I love seeing their children, and how well they are doing in life. Their struggles, ups, downs, and all the way I know I was a part of their lives even if just for a short while.

I found out long ago that the best way to get children of varying ages ands learning curves to work together is by including music as well as  art into everyday schedules. I believe it evens the field out because music has so many aspects from humming, rocking, singing, dancing, swaying, playing instruments etc, that there is something for everyone. You can hear music, feel music, and move to music.

Perfect for those who have learning disabilities and has been proven to help those who have music in their lives to do better in everyday situations from learning, relationships, and temperament. Even though this is slotted for Special Needs and Autism it can also be use in a home setting, professional setting, and even classrooms.

Bring a classroom of children together through music or just work one on one with any child to see a difference take shape right in front of your eyes.

You can find the Autism & Special Needs Music DVD and CD on Amazon.



What Rhythm Tree has to say about their product. 
WANT TO OPEN UP YOUR CHILD'S WORLD THROUGH MUSIC?

This Dr. Toy Top 10 award-winning product is perfect for parents, educators and therapists, especially if you have some rhythm sticks, tambourines and shakers lying around.

Develop critical skills in a fun and playful way (no musical abilities required).

It will add music and success to any autism therapy or special needs program.

Developed by a music therapist with more than 15 years of experience with special needs, this kit makes it easy to use music to bond with a child and help them learn new social and developmental skills.

This special needs program is also great for creating fun family time, improving a child's self esteem, and giving a child a way to express themselves, even if they are non-verbal.

Helps children develop better social, speech/communication, motor, and academic skills in a fun and motivating way!

Also helps with autism sensory needs through the music and activities

You can find out more about the Rhythm Tree on:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Pinterest

Google+

YouTube

#TheRhythmTree

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Tomoson and Rhythm Tree. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

Wiggle Seat

I have always had very active children but my last two girls take the cake, they are everywhere all of the time, from one thing to another really never staying on one thing to long before moving onto something else. 

Lets just say keeping their attention has never been easy. They have to be interested or it is a no go. With the wiggle seat which keep the child paying attention to their balance they seem to do better at staying on task. At least that is for the things that include sitting time.

These wiggle seats are being used with both children with ADHD as well as autism and they are seeing a difference in these children in many areas. I think this is a great ite. bumps. All children are different so see which works best with your child and at what time.  I love that this comes with a pump so that you can adapt to this the child it is going to be used for. 

You can find the wiggle seat on Amazon.
Wiggle seats have become popular with teachers and parents alike for their ability to calm the hyperactive child. Many parents have found wiggle seats to be a life saver during dinner and homework time. While teachers love them for the calming effect they can have on children, many even report improved behavior for ADHD and autistic children. 

Besides the positive effects on behavior these discs have all the same benefits of sitting on a balance ball, activating the stomach muscles while sitting leading to better posture and less back strain from prolonged sitting. 

#wiggleseat

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Tomoson and Agora Products. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

Wedgnetix

Our family received the 16 pc set. The directions come with projects for the both 16 and 32 pieces so if you would like to go right into building 32 piece designs make sure you pick up the bigger kit.

You can purchase the Wedgnetix here, at Target, and Amazon.


What WEDGiTS has to say about their product.
ImagAbility, makers of the original international building block brand, WEDGiTS™, today announced that its newest attraction, WEDGNETiX™, magnetic WEDGiTS, are now available. Perfect for Back to School learning as well as early holiday shopping season.
The amazing new WEDGNETiX (MSRP $39.99 and $69.99 for 16-piece and 32-piece sets) unlocks a new construction potential of WEDGiTS building block toys.

WEDGNETiX were created to add even more open ended play patterns for children.  With WEDGNETiX, a child, or adult, can explore complex geometry and greater visual appreciation for 2D to 3D relationships. It sounds technical, but it is really just fun and kids don’t realize how educational it is.

The unique part about WEDGNETiX is the amazing building process it provides. With WEDGNETiX, you can create original 2D designs that include a square, a rectangle and a hexagon. This is accomplished through the WEDGNETiX design that has a magnet within each component.  Specifically, each WEDGNETiX bar has an embedded magnet on one end and a metal cap on the opposite end. This allows two WEDGNETiX bars to fully rotate around each other for a 360-degree rotation. With WEDGNETiX, you can rotate one half of a hexagon upward to reveal a 3D representation of a hexagon. 

WEDGNETiX do not require instructions like other popular building block products. WEDGNETiX follow the WEDGiTS toy line in that it’s open-ended design allows kids to create freely. ImagAbility does provide design ideas for kids to progress from 2D into 3D constructions, however, there isn’t any “only one way to do things” step-by-step instruction.

ImagAbility points out the extreme safety of WEDGNETiX:
A key criterion in the engineering design of the WEDGNETiX bar relieves any consumer safety concern. Each bar is a two-sided construction that has a male and a female component. When the two parts mate together they literally sandwich the cylindrical magnet between the parts. The plastic parts, made of an extremely strong ABS plastic, are pulled together, which basically melds the plastic into a single component. In addition, ImagAbility clearly identifies caution on the front of each package, that WEDGNETiX contains magnets. The product is tested and in compliance to the USA’s CPSIA and international ASTM FM963 certification.

About WEDGiTS: 
The basic set of WEDGiTS building block toys resemble square donuts and diamonds with angled edges.  The five, primary pieces of the WEDGiTS toy are graduated in size, so, the blocks actually nest together and stack into the shape of a pyramid.  Mathematicians refer to these block shapes as rhombus and octahedrons.  Each block is a different primary color, so, you can imagine a rainbow effect of color in each design a child builds. The design of each block naturally aligns in both vertical and horizontal patterns for an open-ended manipulative. 

In addition to WEDGNETiX and various traditional WEDGiTS sets, other products in the WEDGiTS line include, WEDGiTS on Wheels (WOW) and Mini WEDGiTS™, as well as WEDGiTS school activity packs, building table platforms and other accessories.

The award-winning WEDGiTS line has earned ImagAbility honors in Parenting Magazine, Toy Insider, and Learning Magazine, as well as awards and honors from the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, National Parenting Publications of America, Mom’s Choice, National Parenting Center, Parents Choice, Dr. Toy, and Able Play’s Special Needs Approval.

You can find out more about WEDGiTS on:

Website

YouTube

Instagram

Twitter

 #wedgits

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Tomoson and WEDGiTS. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

On the Go Fun

As a mother, grandmother, and a retired child care worker I like to purchase toys that are both fun and educational.

This is what you get with the Match It! Listen & Play Bingo - On The Go from The Learning Journey International. There are so many ways to play either on their own, with a friend, sibling, or family member.

Sure to be loved by everyone. I know I love this game myself and is a game I play with my children that doesn't take tons of time to play which is great for waiting for appointments, siblings at a sporting event, or just fun at home.

This game teaches different vehicles, what they sound like, the words, as well as matching. Two sided board has two ways to play. I really like the box that everything stores in because it has a handle so the children can grab it for on the go fun.

You can find Match It! Listen & Play Bingo - On The Go here or on Amazon.


What The Learning Journey International has to say about their product.

Match It! Listen & Play On the Go Bingo is perfect for young readers and is designed to assist young children with sound, object and word recognition. To play the game, simply press the Electronic Sound button, identify the sound and find the corresponding picture card. By hearing and matching the images, words and sounds with the electronic button, children will enjoy valuable learning experiences in a fun and easy way. Listen & Play On the Go Bingo includes an electronic sound making button, 4 double sided game boards, 36 picture word cards and suggestions for various ways to play the game. For two to four players. Recommended for ages 3+ years.

You can find out more about The Learning Journey International on:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

YouTube

Instagram

#bingo

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Tomoson and The Learning Journey International. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

The new toy in town

Looking for a new toy for your family this year? Some think of it as a game, while others a toy. Great for hand eye coordination, while expanding the mind. Even adults will find this irresistible to put down because you want to be able to do all four sides. Kind of like a rubics cube meets the ball and cup game.

Great for birthdays, gifts, stocking stuffers, something for those who have everything. Go head give it a try, you will be hooked to or least find yourself coming back to it again and again to see if you can do better.

Simple enough for a child but nice enough on the eyes to keep out instead of stashing away in the toy box. Leave it on the coffee table sure to be a talk piece.


You can purchase the Woodtellect Toys Kendama on Amazon.

What Woodtellect Toys has to say about their product.

• Premium and original Woodtellect Kendama
  Pro style durability and traditional size
  Includes our how-to E-book!! Also backed by our satisfaction guarantee!
  Addicting Japanese game that tests your hand-eye coordination!
  Great gift for anyone looking for hours of fun!

You can find out more about Woodtellect Toys on:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

#kendama

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Tomoson and Woodtellect Toys. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

Morning Magic

MarksvilleandMe reviews

Morning Magic

written by

Giles Smith

Morning Magic Everyday Magic Series Book 1 tell you about Emily who is a trainee witch who decides she needs a spell to get her going on the right track in the morning. Usually I do ebooks but every now and then a company or Author is this case actually sends me a real live book to read. The pictures are amazing.

My 7 year old as well as my 12 year old both enjoyed this book and the next time my 4 year old grand daughter is over for a while we are going to read this together too.

A sample of one of the pages are below.

You can purchase Morning Magic on Amazon.

It's the first day of a new school year for Emily, a trainee witch. After a hasty breakfast she rushes to her room to get dressed. After all, she doesn't want to be late on day one! But her clothing seems to have other ideas. Her chest of drawers is feeling grumpy and won't open. Her socks don't want to be worn and make a mad dash for freedom. And her witch's hat is simply missing in action. Despite these delays, can she figure out the 'Get Dressed' spell and still make it to school on time?

Morning Magic is Book 1 of the new Everyday Magic Series. This series will be the basis for a new programme of sight-word tools for kids aged 5-7, where the main stories will be developed into small self-readers packed with sight words.

#MorningMagic

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Tomoson and Sunsella. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

Hugo the Happy Starfish Good Friends

MarksvilleandMe Reviews

Hugo the Happy Starfish Good Friends 

written by

Suzy Liebermann

Reading books to my children and grand children is something I enjoy. As my children grow they read more to me which is a blessing in itself. I enjoy hearing how far they have come in their reading achievement.

I like Suzy Liebermann's style of writing to help children learn about how to deal with things that come up during life.

As parent we try to teach our children how to survive and succeed in society but we can't always teach them everything. This is where books and stories come into play. They can help up teach our children things that might not happen when they are little. 

You can purchase Hugo The Happy Starfish Good Friends on Amazon. 

What they have to say about Good Friends

Come on a sea adventure with HUGO THE HAPPY STARFISH as he finds out that HAPPINESS begins with TOLERANCE. 

GOOD FRIENDS (THE ISLAND OF TOLERANCE) contains a great educational lesson about TOLERANCE AND FRIENDSHIP. 
On the ISLAND OF TOLERANCE Hugo learns not to judge others by their appearance. He discovers that good friends can come in all shapes and sizes and that you have to be tolerant in order to have good friendships. 

Hugo is a little starfish whose home is at the bottom of the wide ocean. He longs to visit the real world, and one day he decides to go and find it. Hugo's journey to happiness isn't quite as straightforward as he hopes though. He is sent to a series of different islands where he is taught important character lessons. 
By the end of his journey, Hugo has visited fourteen islands, made many more friends, and, most importantly, learned how to be a better starfish. 

‘HUGO THE HAPPY STARFISH - ISLAND ADVENTURES’ is packed with life lessons for kids, showing them the importance of appreciation, patience, tolerance and optimism amongst others. 

Teaching children life skills can be tricky, but with this exciting book your kids will come across some of the most important lessons there are to be learned. Like Hugo, their journey to the real world will be full of character lessons along the way. 

In Hugo, children, parents, and educators will discover a lovable and engaging role model with whom they can identify. 

The story consists of 29 gorgeous illustrations showing a colorful and magical underwater world. 

Children will laugh at the delightful characters, hold their breaths in suspense and love to read this story over and over. 

The book is suitable as a read aloud book for preschoolers or a self-read book for older children. 

The book comes with a number of worksheets which are downloadable at no cost on our website. 

The book is offered in two editions (a version with Spanish introductory vocabulary and an English only version) as well as in different languages such as German, Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese. 

There are more HUGO THE HAPPY STARFISH stories waiting to be discovered. Make sure to read THE LAST BULLY and THE SECRET TO HAPPINESS, THE MAGIC OF THE MOMENT, ONE STEP AT ATIME and many more. 
Through his adventures, Hugo learns many valuable lessons of character, life skills, and ecological alertness – all amid the backdrop of a magical underwater world and mystical islands. 
The stories were developed in conjunction with the author’s teaching experience at an International Baccalaureate® School and they support the different learner profiles and attitudes of the IB PYP curriculum. 

You can find out more about Suzy Liebermann on:

Website

Amazon

Goodreads

#childrensbook

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Tomoson. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

Bath Organizer with Bath Letters and Numbers

                        

I am pretty sure everyone one of my children and grand children have had a similar set to the Brilliant Babyz Bath Organizer with Bath Letters and Numbers, and they have all loved them dearly. One of their first bath chew toys, one of the first ways they learned colors, numbers, and letters, all while taking a bath, having fun. 

I really like that this set came with a bag, only a few of ours have in the past. Bright colors that engage children for hours if you let them stay in the tub that long. At least you won't have a problem getting your child clean while you have these. 

You can purchase Brilliant Babyz Bath Organizer with Bath Letters and Numbers on Amazon.

What Brilliant Babyz has to say about their product.

• Brilliant Babyz Luxury Bath Organizer with Bath Toys Letters and Numbers:
  
  ✔︎ EDUCATIONAL TOY;Make Bath Time a Fun Learning Time
  The colorful Brilliant Babyz set is the perfect fun way of teaching your child the melody of spelling and counting. Letters and numbers, on a floating motion in water tend to characteristically stick to the bathtub walls when wet, allowing your child to enjoy learning the alphabets, how to count them and learn different colors. Take a chance to improve your child's learning skills and experience now with this wonderful set.
  
  ✔︎ KEEP YOUR BATHROOM TIDY;
  The Brilliant Babyz set comes with its premium Bath Toy Organizer. The mesh toy organizer is large enough (14X18 inch) to hold a significant quantity of toys along with letters and number sets. With our premium organizer your children will love collecting their toys!

• ✔︎ PREVENT MOLD AND MILDEW; the high quality Mesh Bag Net allows toys to dry quickly.    
  
  ✔︎ SUPERIOR SUCTION CUPS; Strong suction cups keep the toy organizer from falling and allow it to stick to any surface like bath tiles and glass. 
  
  ✔︎ HIGH STANDART MATERIALS; Brilliant Babyz Produces the Bath Set from Durable, High Quality, Nontoxic, soft materials.
  
  ✔︎ 100% LIFETIME SATISFACTION GUARANTEES + FREE TODDLER CARE GUIDE BOOK WITH EACH ORDER AS A GIFT!
     
  
   You can find out more about Brilliant Babyz on:

Website

Facebook

#BATHORGANIZER

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Tomoson and Brilliant Babyz. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

Ultimate Volcano Kit

Just like other products I have reviewed from Discover Dr. Cool the Ultimate Volcano kit is just as fun. Your child gets to pain the volcano and then mix up the volcano mix and enjoy an erupting volcano.

My girls had been asking for one of these and Discover Dr. Cool came through with an awesome project for them to do. They loved it.

A video will be coming soon and I will post the link once it is up.


You can purchase Dr. Cool's Volcano here or on Amazon.


What Dr. Cool Has to say about their product.

• * Make a volcano erupt and collect 3 real volcanic specimens (pumice, obsidian arrowhead, and a geode)
  * Ultimate kit includes: Volcano Mold, plaster, paints, brush, eruption powder, and 3 real specimens
  * Perfect science fair project or gift for kids 6-12 that are interested in volcanoes, earth science or geology
  * Full-Color Info and Activity guides were written by teachers are filled with cool science facts about volcanoes and puzzles to solve
  * Winner of Gold Award from Family Review Center, Kids Product of the year from Creative Child Magazine, and Seal of Approval from the Toy Directory
   

We've turned this classic science experiment into the ultimate hands-on volcano experience! First you'll use the plaster and mold included to make your volcano chamber. Then you'll use the brush and paints included in the kit to decorate it. Next you'll make the volcano erupt over and over again with the eruption powder (included). Plus you'll get to examine 3 genuine volcanic specimens including: a real geode, an obsidian arrowhead, and a floating piece of volcanic rock called pumice. The information guide will teach you all about your specimens as well as how volcanoes form and why they erupt. Also included is an activity booklet with 10 fun games, puzzles, and challenges to complete. Because everything is included in the kit, you won't need to run to the store for additional supplies. If you're doing this project for the science fair, you'll love how nice this volcano looks---it's way better then those paper mache volcanoes. This is the perfect science kit for anyone interested in geology, earth science, or volcanoes.

AWARDS WON: Gold Award - Family Review Center 2012, Seal of Approval - Family Review Center - 2012, Kids Product of the Year - Creative Child Magazine -2012 and Seal of Approval - Toy Directory Monthly 2013.

SPECIAL TIPS:

• Some tips for casting a successful volcano: the Ultimate Volcano directions call for one cup of water to be added to the plaster, and this amount works for most customers. However, if you have added a full cup and the mix still seems too thick to pour into the mold, stir in a little extra water, adding a bit at a time (up to 1/4 cup). The ideal consistency should be thick, but pourable. We also recommend working quickly and using cold water throughout, since warm or hot water can make the plaster harden more quickly.
   

You can find out more about Discover with Dr. Cool on:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

#discoverwithdrcool

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Tomoson and Discover with Dr. Cool. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.