Past Items of the Week

The best way to introduce your kids to music is to get them their own set of musical instruments. This Melissa & Doug Band in a Box is a great set. My children got this for Christmas one year and loved it. There are 6 different instruments so 1 box is enough for your children or some friends. Kids will love to have a parade and dance along to some music with their instruments. This set comes in a wooden box for storage. This set is $19.24 on amazon and qualifies for free super saver shipping.

Item of the Week - Backpacks and Lunchboxes from The Land of Nod

The Land of Nod has a great selection of backpacks and lunchboxes as well as many other back to school items. They have a collection of adorable backpacks starting at $20. Here are some of my favorites.

They also have some nice lunchboxes too. They range in price from $13 to $34. They have ones that match the above backpacks and others. They also have meal time accessories like divided lunch boxes, hold the crust sandwich cutters, and sandwich holders. Check out all the great deals from The Land of Nod and enjoy Free Shipping on all back to school products through Monday, August 15th.

Item of the Week - White Noise Sleep Machine

To help Catch Some ZZZZZ's (read our article from Monday with great tips on getting better sleep ) you may enjoy Marpac SleepMate 980A Electro-Mechanical Sound Conditioner (See all Sound Therapy Products). This sound machine creates a consistant and smooth sound of rushing air. It will help you relax and fall asleep by getting rid of unwanted noise. It is perfect for both home and travel. It is great for kids too. This machine is $49.95 on Amazon.com and qualifies for free super saver shipping.

Item of the Week - Dr Seuss Tote Bags

If you were inspired by Nikki's article Craft Bags For Kids then you will love these adorable Dr. Seuss Kids Recycled Tote Book Bag From amazon.com. These tote bags are made from recycled materials so they are both eco friendly and reusable. They are 11.5" by 9" with a 5" strap. They can be used as craft bags, gift bags, tote bags for the library, or the grocery store (although they are small for the store). They have 6 different patterns so you can get a different one for each of your kids. They are $5.99 each plus shipping or you can get Dr. Seuss, Set of 6 for only $18.20 and this one is eligible for super saver shipping. You may get doubles of some prints in the 6 pack but you can use them for gift bags or give to a friend.

Have some fun with your kids, especially when its super hot out this summer, and put together a craft bag. Have some fun creating together.

Item of the Week - Kindle 3

Kindle 3

The new Kindle 3G, Free 3G + Wi-Fi,is perfect for all your summer reading. You can read books for yourself as well as get books to read with your children like the ones recommended on Top Book Picks For Kids Of All Ages and Brain Candy: ATFM's 2011 Summer Reading List (for moms) . You can get them for a great price on the Kindle too. You can read in bright sunlight so its pefect for the beach and with 3G and wireless you can download books in only 60 seconds wherever you are. This latest kindle will last for 2 months once its charged if you read with the wireless turned off. Soon you will be able to borrow books from your local library too!

You can get yourself a Kindle for all your summer travel and enjoy some good books this summer for only $164 at amazon.com with free shipping.

Item of the Week - Neutrogena Sunscreen

Neutrogena Sunblock Cream

The 4th of July weekend is the kick off of the summer season. Now is the time to check on your sunblock supply and restock. Did you know sunblock can expire? This year I bought Neutrogena Spectrum+ Sunblock Spray SPF 100+ and I love it. I have used it on both my kids and myself. Unlike other sunblocks this does not leave a sticky heavy feel. It truly feels lightweight. The good thing is its not lightweight on protection. If you prefer a cream I like Neutrogena Ultra Sheer 45. This cream also goes on really smooth.

All these Neutrogena products features Helioplex360, a breakthrough, advanced sunscreen technology that delivers comprehensive, stabilized protection from the major causes of sun damage: UVA, UVB and Oxidative Damage.

You can purchase these on Amazon.com for $8-$12 and you can get free super saver shipping. Of course you can get these at your local grocery store, target, walmart, or drug store too.

Item of the Week - John, Paul, George and Ben

Help your kids get ready for 4th of July with this informative and fun book John, Paul, George & Ben by Lane Smith. This book is written for ages 5-10. This book is full of humor as it gives background on some of the founding fathers such as John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. Although the author takes some liberties he makes history appealing to children. Get this book for you kids and read it together in preparation for 4th of July. This book can be bought on Amazon.com for $11.55

Item of the Week - Brain Quest Workbooks

School is out but don't let your kids lose what they learned this year. Keep them on grade level with this great series of work books from Brain Quest. They have books at each grade level from pre-k through 7th grade. Each book contains around a dozen areas of practice in language arts, math, history and science. The books are large enough to keep them busy the whole summer too! I would recommend getting the grade level your child will be starting in the fall.

My daughter and I have been doing the first grade book and she loves it. Each page has a few activities on it so that she can complete the page quickly and then I put a star at the top. Although we do each section in order you can easily skip around to the different sections. This also helps her stay focused and keeps her interest up. I have really enjoying working on the book with her and I know she enjoys it too. I think we will be doing this every summer for quite a while.

These huge workbooks are reasonable priced at $7.77 at amazon.com.

Item of the Week - Father's Day Gifts

This Father's Day get Dad something that will make him smile. Zazzle.com has lots of great options. You can get Dad a funny shirt that says things like "Bank of Dad", "Let Me Ask My Wife", Grandpa, The Man, The Myth, The Legend", "Ask Not What Your Father Can Do For You But What YOU Can Do For Your Father", "Fatherhood, Similar to Motherhood But Less Work". You might also like their t-shirts that have Dadism sayings on them; sayings such as "Don't Make Me Turn This Car Around" and others. You can make truly unique gift by creating your own shirt with a saying and/or picture too.

Zazzle.com has much more than t-shirts. View their huge selection of mugs, ties, aprons, and more. These can all be customized with your own deigns. Have a good laugh this year and get Dad something fun!

You need to order your Father's Day gift by June 6th for economy shipping or June 9th for standard shipping. Place your order today!

Please check our zazzle page on our shopping directory for zazzle.com coupons and deals.

Item of the Week - Reward and Responsibility Chart

The lazy days of summer are just around the corner and without some structure it could get a little crazy. Why not take some time to teach your kids some good habits and add a little structure too. The Kenson Kids "I can Do It" Reward and Responsibility Chart can help. This colorful chart will help the kids get excited about doing their part, whether its setting the table, cleaning up the toys, or cleaning their room. The chart comes with 20 chores that are both behavioral and task oriented. You can also purchase supplemental packs for additional activities. They all attach to the chart with velcro so it is easy to change to different tasks.

Rewards for good behavior can be simple. Maybe they get a dime for each star (plus it teaches them to count by ten), a trip to the dollar store for a certain number of stars or maybe they can add up their stars for something special. An extra trip to the library, ice cream, dinner at the park, or a day at an amusement park can all be fun rewards.

One mom suggested giving your child all their stars at the beginning of the day since they are able to earn them all. If they don't complete a task or don't listen after one warning then the child has to go take the star down. You can also put some of the tasks like clearing the table, setting the table, trash, etc in a basket and have each child pick one or two for the week as their daily chore. At the end of the week put them all back in the basket and pick again (or you can rotate). That will help to keep things fresh and give them a chance to learn about all the different jobs in the house.

This chart can be ordered from Amazon.com for $17.14 and the supplemental packs are between $6 and $8. They all qualify for free super saver shipping with a $25 purchase.