I have added the giveaway in the same review post. I tried to re-post it but somehow it doesn't seem to work.
So please click on the link under "current giveaways" and enter for your chance to win a PlasmaCar!
{ Giveaway added ! } PlasmaCar Review : One of the best toys we have owned ! ( Open to Canada / US, ends Jan 31, 2013)
Scroll down to enter this awesome giveaway!
My son calls it his own " Ferrari ".
My son calls it his own " Ferrari ".
You might have seen this ultra-cool car with a toy-ish side to it at the toy store, huge book stores and yes, it is going places.Because parents and kids are lovin' it. The last time I saw it was at Chapters and kids of all ages were going bonkers wanting to ride on this car. AND it was Christmas time.
My son gleefully exclaimed " Mommy! They have OUR car here!". Yes, he proudly says that he owns a race car ! After-all all the pompous race cars from Lightning McQueen to Ferrari seems to be painted red!
Get together for play and fun
This car aka PlasmaCar, can give the parents a joy ride too, because it can take upto 220 lbs of weight . When I noticed the weight limit, my imagination ran wild - hubby and me riding it together! NOT ! The seat space is too less to fit 2 of us, so we decided not to test that.Lest we break it and leave a little person in tears! It is not all the toys that parents can play with too while the kids stand cheering at the side. It gets the parents and kids together. Hubby and sonny go for rides together and it is quite a sight to watch them giggle away while toggling their way around.
Non-electronic, battery free play
We seem to be surrounded by many electronic gadgets and remote controlled toys that the classical way of using hands and brain to move and play has taken a back seat. PlasmaCar has no electronics, remotes, batteries or motor. It is purely based on some concept of physics involving movement. My son has been using this for 3-4 months and I think it is one of best toys we have ever owned.
Easy operation
With steering the wheel left and right, you can control how fast, slow you want to go and also the forward , backward motion can also be achieved. The material provides for excellent grip and even a 2 yr old was able to figure out how to ride on it. As soon as you sit on this car and hold the steering, the child is naturally inclined to turn the steering wheel. That facilitates the movement and it doesn't take long to know how to back-up and how to make left and right turns.
Best riding surface
PlasmaCar is best suited for riding on a flat, smooth surface. Roads, carpet, grass and other uneven surfaces makes it tougher to make the movement smoothly. Indoors has been a great place for enjoying the car. The wheels are sturdy and well made.
The seat has a little raised area for the rider to sit comfortably. We really appreciate this design as young kids may tend to have little control over spacing themselves. The elevated area sort of prevents them from falling back or slowly moving all the way back to the edge.
The PlasmaCar is designed to hold up to 220 lbs. Think of all the years that this toy will get used compared to all the age specific toys that are sold. That is a huge PLUS when you invest in this PlasmaCar.
Hubby and me have taken rides in this car and the space parameters for keeping your legs comfortably is nothing less than perfect. This means that even your older children can have fun with this car while your younger one is busy coloring away!
Do you see the gripping for the foot? It offers grip as you do not want your leg slipping away at each turn. You can even see the gripping for each of the toe fingers. You can go really fast in this car when you ride it on a smooth surface and the speed slows down with rough surfaces.
Durability can be guaranteed as long as the wheels are taken care of by riding it on smooth surfaces. A gym would be a great place to ride this car.
This is an extremely simple toy right from putting it together to operating it.
It comes in different colors and retails for $69.99.
Book Review : Empty Promises by Pete Wilson
The Truth About You, Your Desires, and the Lies You're Believing
Book Description
We all long for more of something in our lives. In our endless pursuit to feel worth and acceptance we find ourselves sacrificing everything for the promise to be a little more beautiful, a little richer, a little more powerful and successful, a little more loved.
How do we break free from these empty pursuits and start chasing the only Promise that will ever satisfy? How do we uncover the hidden idols that are driving us and turn our devotion toward the one true God?
Join Pastor and best-selling author Pete Wilson in discovering the joy and freedom that comes with seeking after God with your whole life. Learn how to replace, and not just relinquish, life's empty promises by turning your focus and worship toward Him. It is the only thing that will set you absolutely free from the endless pursuit of everything else.
My review:
If we can be honest with ourselves, we will admit we have some things that we consciously and unconsciously idolize in our lives. Pete shows us some of the main things that people tend to base their lives on and hence idolize them. He also goes on to talk about how the promises that stem from these idols can be shallow or most often, just empty.We often base our identity on money, job, beauty etc and when it gets taken away from us, we are left with an empty feeling. That's a dangerous place to be as these material things do not have a solid foundation to stand on. Christ is the only solid rock and He never forsakes us - doesn't matter if we have money or no money, employed or unemployed and so on. God looks at us and says we are perfect in Him. We can feel that ONLY when we put our trust in Him and not on any other empty promises.
Since life is filled with a lot of empty promises, this book will be worth the read to know how to base our identity on something that will last forever.
Disclosure: I received a review copy as a part of Thomas Nelson Book Reviewers Program. No monetary compensation was received. The above post reflects my personal opinion.
Review : Bible Stories that End with a Hug!
Features:
- 75 easy-to-understand Bible stories with charming illustrations
- Lessons on how to apply each story to your child’s daily life
- Bible verses kids will want to hide in their hearts for a lifetime (Psalm 119:11)
- A special “Hug Time” after each story for you and your child to share a great big hug!
We read one Bible story each night before going to bed. Since we got this book, we have been reading this along with the Bible stories. There are 75 stories and it covers most interesting stories that children would love to hear. So, when we read about creation in the Bible, I refereed to this book as well as it throws some questions at children. When children think and answer, it helps them to understand and clarify any doubts they may have.
Sharing with friends was something that needed some attention last week. So I picked out a fun storybook about sharing and read it aloud. Then we picked out a great story from this book - the story about how Jesus blesses five loaves and two fish from a little boy. It was such a great combo and the questions with the hug time, rounded it off perfectly just on the right note. I was able to pass on the message about sharing and end it with a hug!
The illustrations are beyond adorable and each story is spread across two pages. Mini, easy-to-read stories in a colorful form makes the whole reading experience all the more enchanting. Each story ends with something that goes like this : " Now give the one that is made by God a big hug ! ".
My son loves this book and it is such a sweet way to start a good night's sleep.
Disclosure: I received a sample for review purpose only. No monetary compensation was received. The above post reflects my personal opinion.
Best free, educational kids' apps from PBS Kids.
To help parents and kids start the 2013 year off right, PBS KIDS has compiled a list of some of the best FREEand educational apps available to kids. Not only are they learning tools, but they are also fun, engaging and feature some of their favorite PBS KIDS characters.
Here’s a look at what should be in everyone’s 2013 App Library….
Professor Fizzy is holding a competition to see who has what it take to be the next Lunch Labber! Kids put math and problem solving skills to the test while navigating their way through the grocery store, coming up with the right amount of change in the check-out line, and successfully serving food to a room full of hungry customers. For iPad, Kindle Tablet and Nook Tablet for kids ages 6 – 8.
Watch videos from your favorite PBS KIDS television series anytime, anywhere (in the USA). “PBS KIDS Video” features more than 1,000 videos from over a dozen top PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! television series, including Curious George, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That, Dinosaur Train, SUPER WHY!, Sesame Street and Wild Kratts. For iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch for kids ages 3-6.
FETCH! Lunch Rush is PBS KIDS’ first mobile app featuring Augmented Reality technology – a term for blending the virtual and real world into a truly engaging experience. The app will teach kids ages 6 to 8 math skills while blending a virtual world right on top of the real one. The multi-player app is designed as a 3-D game, which helps kids visualize the math problems they are trying to solve. In the app, Ruff Ruffman is making a movie and needs kids to help him to keep up with lunch orders from the movie’s crew. The challenge is keeping track of how many pieces of sushi everyone wants using augmented reality “markers” or printable hand-outs that prompt activity within the mobile app. For iPhone and iPod Touch.
“Wordball” aims to help players 5 & up increase their ability to manipulate sounds in spoken words and then map those words to print. Discover the wonders of the silent E, the hard and soft sounds of C (as in “cat” and “ace”), the transforming powers of the letter H (the sounds ch, sh, th), and much more! Players look out for wordballs and catch them if they can as they groove to 9 game-enhanced music videos starring Ne-Yo, Jimmy Fallon, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and their favorite characters from The Electric Company. For iPhone and iPod Touch.