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Summer is just around the corner and Sand box season has already begun. As a mom and grandmother I love sand and water toys, so finding this cute 7 piece seemed like the perfect gift for my grandchildren. Even though this toy will be for them to take home to enjoy I am feeling good about this item. It is made from flexible food grade polypropylene, is non toxic, and eco friendly.
Over the 30 years of being a parent and child care giver I have seen many toys come and go in our home. Some had staying power and some were here just for a season, or gone in a very short time. We have many favorites that stood the test of time and we have even replaced once worn out because of how good they were.
For sand toys for instance many times they start off all bright colored and end up fading to a muted color of their orginal self. This set has a sort of aged look to them that I really like. Of course I don't know for sure but I don't see these fading like other toys on the market, and I am excited to see how they fair over the years.
If you are interested in them check them out below.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
With summer coming and our family not being comfortable with everything opening up yet as well as the news we will be having our granddaughter most of the summer, I needed to come up with some activities to keep the girls busy in between when they run out of ideas. This girl’s creator braiding bracelet kit is one of the many awesome items we picked out. My daughter gave it a whirl today so we can make sure we know how to use it when the time comes.
Her results were OK for the first time using it. We didn't finish it off with the cutting or glue due to the fact she wants to practice to get better at it. My daughter is 13 and really needed a lot of help with this at first but once I showed her two rounds she was able to do the rest on her own. Like I said she wants to practice a bit more to get the string tighter and neater for the finnished look.
She did say that this will be a good item to use during the summer with my 10 year old granddaughter and I am sure a few of her friends.
The kit does say it makes up to 12 bracelets. With that being said this one took took two strings which leaves just enough to make 10 bracelets if you only use one color per bracelet so keep that in mind and maybe pick up some extra elastics and string. I see these being made with embroidery floss, paracord rope, yarn, and other simular strings which we have on hand and can be picked up easily at your local craft store or on Amazon.
We love that this came with a bag so everything can be stored inside and grabbed at a moments notice for some bracelet making fun. I personally see this being used for years to come as long as I can continue to provide the elastics and string. Sadly right now there were no refill kits but maybe in the future they will have those available.
Here is a picture of everything you get in the kit.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
INTERNATIONAL DINOSAUR DAY is MAY 18TH
National Geographic Kids is celebrating all month long with fun games, video shorts, facts, and even a dinosaur personality quiz. You can find them all here. They are even hosting a giveaway for one lucky winner on my site to win all 5 books below with a value of $80.00. Enter here.
I have always loved National Geographic while growing up and National Geographic Kids brings all of the beautiful illustrations and information down to a child's mind set. Check out these beautiful books. I just know my grandsons are going to love the bright pictures, while learning about dinosaurs, and then playing with their own dinosaur toys to bring the action to life. These books are big on pictures, facts, and inspiring stories to make learning fun for your child. Below you will find the books and a write up from National Geographic on each one.
(hardcover, ages 4-8, 128 pages, $14.95) - A #1 best seller on Amazon! The prehistoric world comes alive with dinosaurs small, big, giant, and gigantic, with stunning illustrations. Bursting with fun facts and age-appropriate information, each spread features a different dinosaur, along with simple text in big type that is perfect for little kids. Young dino fans will love the interactivity included in every chapter, and parents will appreciate tips to help carry readers' experience beyond the page.
(hardcover, ages 4-8, 32 pages, $16.99) - Ever wondered how to find a dinosaur? Paleontologist Dr. Scott Sampson, host of Dinosaur Train on PBS Kids, tells kids how! How do paleontologists find dinosaur bones? How do they know what dinosaurs ate or looked like? And what is paleontology, anyway? Dr. Scott tackles all these questions and more while inspiring kids to go out and make the next big dino discovery!
(paperback, ages 8-12, 208 pages, $8.99) - 300 dino-mite facts to sink your teeth into! Perfectly sized for back seat boredom busting, this new addition to the wildly popular WBT series is taking on the jaws and claws that ruled the Mesozoic world. Calling all dino dynamos! Did you know that the T. rex had vision 13 times better than the average humans? Or that people collect fossilized dino poop? And get this: There's a dinosaur named after Hogwarts--Harry Potter's wizarding school! Get ready to meet dinosaurs with horns and feathers, razor-sharp claws and gigantic teeth. You'll encounter the places they lived, the bizarre art they inspired, and the amazing paleontologists who discovered them.
(hardcover, ages 7-10, 296 pages, $24.99) - Big, beautiful and gift-worthy! The new edition of the popular Nat Geo Kids Dinopedia includes all the latest species and is the most complete, up-to-date dinosaur reference available. Find favorites, like the fierce T-rex and the gentle Brontosaurus, plus audacious new finds, like the Anzu, Kosmoceratops, and Yi. Every dino profile is colorfully illustrated and features descriptions of when they roamed the Earth, how they lived, what they ate, and more. There are more than 600 dinos featured in all, including 10 profiles of recently discovered dinosaurs and new entries in the Dino Dictionary. Reports from paleontologists present the latest news and insights from the field.
(paperback, ages 8-12, 208 pages, $14.99) - Curious which creatures ruled when dinosaurs roamed the Earth? Get ready to meet the record-setters, including the biggest, smallest, smartest, weirdest, deadliest, most notorious, and most mysterious of all time. You'll find fantastic firsts, including the first dinosaur fossils found and the first dinos in space. And you'll meet other rad, remarkable creatures that lived before, after, and alongside them. Did you know that the largest fish, the largest turtle, and the largest flying animal that ever existed lived during the time of the dinosaurs? Or that mammals – no bigger than a small dog when dinosaurs roamed – eventually evolved into massive land animals? See who wins in head-to-head species smackdowns and enjoy games that complement the records.
If you are interested in buying one or all of these books check them out here.
Giveaway Dates ~ 5/8/21 12:00AM EST through 5/31/21 11:59PM EST
MarksvilleandMe would like to wish all those who enter
Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: This giveaway/sweepstakes is in no way endorsed, affiliated, or associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Media Networking Site. This Giveaway is valid to continental United States residents only, Entrants must be 18+ years of age to enter. This giveaway event will end at 12:00 AM (EST)5/31/21. The winner will have 48 hours to email their information back to marksvilleandme@gmail.com or a new winner will be drawn, you may want to put this email address as safe as it could go to spam. The giveaway is not valid where prohibited! By entering you are authorizing us to collect the information on the form below, this information is used only to contact the winner! No purchase necessary, Void where prohibited by law, and the number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Winners are chosen randomly by the RaffleCopter Tools program. The sponsors are each responsible for shipping of the above prizes. No blog associated with this contests are responsible for prize fulfillment. If you would like to be a sponsor in a giveaway like this please email Pamela Marks at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. If you take an entry you must stay following for the entire contest or you will be disqualified.
