Peppa Pig: Muddy Puddles and other stories

When Peppa Pig first made it’s US debut, my kids were intrigued. Here was a family of pink pigs that talked, snorted, and laughed . . . all with a cute British accent. The show centered around the family’s every day life doing every day things . . . going to school, playing with friends, having dinner together, and visiting relatives. There were also a whole bunch of other animals featured in the series who played the parts of friends. Each of these groups of animals also talked as well as made their respective animal sounds.

I was very surprised to find that each episode runs approximately 5 minutes long. When you’re watching the show you don’t notice the short time frame because you’re just so tuned into what’s happening. The storyline doesn’t seemed rushed and they’re able to fit in a lot of entertainment into each episode. This is also great feature for younger kids like Kaila (2) who have short attention spans.

Most of the stories are very simple and easy to understand. They all focus on with things that kids deal with every day, making it interesting and fun. For example, the title episode “Muddy Puddles” is about Peppa and George being stuck indoors while it rains outside. Once the rain stops they go outside and play in the muddy puddles. Things get even better when Daddy & Mummy Pig join in on the fun. Now, I know they’re pigs and all but it was still so cute to see the whole family playing outside together. And what child doesn’t love to play in puddles . . . muddy or not?

Peppa Pig: Muddy Puddles include 12 fun episodes including:

• Muddy Puddles – It’s raining and Peppa is sad because she can’t go outside. When the rain stops, Peppa and George get to play one of their favourite games – jumping in muddy puddles! When Mummy and Daddy Pig join in, things get very muddy indeed.
• Mr. Dinosaur is Lost – Mr Dinosaur is George’s favourite toy. When Mr Dinosaur goes missing, George is very upset. Daddy Pig helps Peppa to become a detective and together they track down Mr Dinosaur, making George a very happy little piggy again.
• Polly Parrot – Peppa and George visit Granny Pig and Grandpa Pig’s house, and meet their new parrot, Polly.
• Best Friend – Peppa’s best friend, Suzy Sheep, comes to play. George wants to play too, but Peppa refuses to let him do so, making him sad.
• The Playgroup – Peppa and George are going to playgroup. It is George’s first day there.
• Mummy Pig at Work – Peppa accidentally breaks Mummy Pig’s computer, so Daddy Pig tries to fix it.
• Camping – Peppa and her family go camping, but Daddy Pig is too big to get into the tent.
• Gardening – Peppa and George go to Granny Pig and Grandpa Pig’s house and look at their garden.
• Bicycles – Daddy Pig has grown a pumpkin and Peppa is riding her bicycle, but says she wants to ride without stabilizers.

What we like best about Peppa Pig is how lighthearted the episodes are and how they stress the values of family, friendship, and having fun. They teach kids to enjoy their childhood and remind parents to appreciate . . . and laugh . . . about the mischief that kids can get into. For one day, the kids will be all grown-up and will miss those days of messes, kisses, and laughter.

Tune in to Peppa Pig on Nick Jr.

• Monday – Friday @ 12 pm and 12:20 pm
• Saturday and Sunday @ 2 pm and 2:30 pm

Connect with Peppa Pig:

• Website
• Facebook

This post was written for Child’s Play Communications and Nick Jr who provided a Peppa Pig swag bag in exchange for our honest review.

Jake and the Never Land Pirates: Peter Pan Returns

Peter Pan is back––but his shadow is missing! When Peter loses his shadow while playing a game of Catch-Me-If-You-Can, he returns to Never Land to seek help from his kid pirate friend Jake. Embarking on one of his most daring and exciting adventures ever, Jake and his kid pirate pals, Izzy and Cubby, along with lookout parrot Skully, must use teamwork to find Peter’s shadow and return it to its rightful owner. However, their mission is nearly thwarted by the fiendish Captain Hook, and his bumbling first mate Mr. Smee. But bravery and justice win the day and Jake and his Never Land pirate crew once again reveal what it takes to become heroes, in Disney’s “Jake and the Never Land Pirates: Peter Pan Returns.”

courtesy of Disney Junior

My kids really enjoy watching Jake and the Never Land Pirates on Disney Junior but they have inquired several times about where Peter Pan was. Well, with this new DVD release my kids can now get their fill of the lovable flying character. In Peter Pan Returns, we see the icon return to Never Land in search of his shadow. He needs everyone’s help and cooperation if he’s going to get it back before Captain Hook captures him. There are some great messages shared like teamwork and not to steal but also that you should stop and think before you act. Rushing into action can sometimes get you into trouble. And of course, there’s the usual counting lesson as the kids add up their gold doubloons.

In the end, Peter Pan finds his shadow and carries on his way to seek new adventures. The pirate kids are sad but they know that he’ll be back again one day. My girls are hoping he’ll bring Tinker Bell with him next time!

This DVD includes 5 more episodes:

• The Elephant Surprise!/Jake’s Jungle Groove
• The Pirate Pup!/Pirate Rock!
• The Sword and the Stone/Jake’s Home Run
• The Pirate Princess/The Rainbow Wand
• Mama Hook Knows Best/Pixie Dust Away (Never-Before-Seen Episode)

What we really like about Jake and the Never Land Pirates is that even though Captain Hook is considered the villain he’s still pretty likable in his own way. And even though the pirate kids are always wary of Hook’s actions they are quick to forgive him. The message of acceptance is something that I hope to instill in my kids.

Purchase your copy of Jake & the Never Land Pirates: Peter Pan Returns at Amazon.com for $13.99.

This post was written for Disney Junior who provided the complimentary copy in exchange for our honest review.

LeapFrog’s LeapPad Explorer & Disney Ultra eBooks

Our family loves LeapFrog. We have pretty much all of their educational toys . . . Leapster Explorer, My Own Storytime Pad, Tag Reading System, and now the LeapPad. The LeapPad looks like a kid-friendly version of the iPad where you can purchase and/or download tons of games, books, videos, and apps. There’s also a built-in camera so your little photographer can take pictures and videos to their heart’s content.

To use the LeapPad, you’ll first need to install the LeapFrog Connect Application using the included CD. Follow the easy step-by-step instructions to create a parent account as well as accounts for each of your children. This account will keep track of all the various LeapFrog toys you have registered and makes it super easy to add on more. It also keeps track of your child’s progress as they move through the various game levels.

Once you have your LeapFrog Connect Application and your LeapPad synced up, just create a user profile for your child on the Leap Pad by entering their name, grade, background, and profile picture. The profile picture can be a pre-installed generic image, one that you’ve downloaded, or you can take a picture using the LeapPad’s camera. Now you’re all set to go!

Our LeapPad came with pre-installed apps like camera, Pet Pad, My Stuff, and My Books. All these apps can be viewed on the home screen for easy access. You can purchase more game cartridges at the store or purchase apps from the LeapFrog Connect site.

We also received 2 Disney Ultra eBooks – Cinderalla & Cars 2. Both of these ebooks came on cartridges which is placed into the card slot on the top of the LeapPad. When the unit is turned on, you’ll see the coordinating app on the home screen. Just touch that app with the stylus and you’re on your way. These cartridges can also be used in the LeapFrog Leapster unit.

Cinderella Ultra eBook (Pre-K to 1^st grade) Cinderella and friends set off on an adventure. See the story animate and touch words to hear them sounded out. Play games and learning activities to help Cinderella get ready for the ball. Teaches: Listening & reading comprehension, vocabulary skills, phonics skills and word recognition.

Cars 2 Ultra eBook (Pre-K to 1^st grade) The wheel-blazing adventures of Mater and Lightning McQueen come to life on every page. See the story animate and touch words to hear them sounded out. Play learning games to help Cars 2 friends get caught up in a top-secret spy mission. Teaches: Listening & reading comprehension, vocabulary skills, phonics skills and word recognition.

courtesy of LeapFrog

The Disney Ultra eBooks were a big hit with both Kiana and Kaila. And since you can select the story’s reading difficulty (3 levels) the same story was appropriate for both of them. For example:

Level 2: Cinderella was nice and kind.

Level 3: Cinderella was sweet.

Level 4: Cinderella was sweet and kind. She cared for the animals around her.

But there’s more. What I really liked about the Ultra eBooks is that they’re more than just a story. Your child can get a real understanding of the words used as well as the proper way to pronounce each one. When you touch an image, you’ll hear the corresponding word. In addition, when you touch a word the matching image will light-up as well. There are also specific words in the story (underlined) that when they’re touched will bring up a pop-up screen explaining what that word means.

And when you get to the end of the story, you’ll find a glossary of the story’s more complicated words. Here your child can listen to the way the letters are pronounced to form the word as well as the word’s definition.

There’s also a game at the end of each story which allows your child to earn fun badges. These badges are used as points to customize games and make them more personal and interactive.

Some of the other features of the Ultra eBooks are:

• Reading Mode – Have the entire book read to your child with the pages turning automatically, have the book read page by page, or have your child read the book on their own.
• Story Map – Select a specific page you’d like to read
• Games – Each eBook comes with 3 games for your kids to play and enjoy
• Record – Record yourself reading the book

We found these Disney Ultra eBooks to be not only fun but very educational as well. And since the kids already love the characters they don’t even realize that they’re learning something in the process. I love the LeapFrog LeapPad because it means I can finally get my iPad back from the kids. They think it’s so cool that they have their own unit that looks like Mommy’s one and fits in their tiny hands. And with a wide variety of apps available online for immediate download, our LeapPad will always be our #1 source of entertainment and education.

Connect with LeapFrog:

• Website
• Facebook

This post was written for LeapFrog who provided the complimentary product in exchange for our honest review.

Bling Shirts for Sisters by Just Jen

If there’s one thing I love about having girls is that they don’t object when I make them wear coordinating clothing. As long as it’s something shiny or pretty, they’re pretty much willing to wear anything. And since I’m a total “bling” gal, I’m always thrilled for the opportunity to check out some of the items from Just Jen.

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Welcome to the Custom T-Shirt of your dreams, at JustJen.com! All our sparkling rhinestone t shirts and clothing are embellished with genuine Swarovski crystal rhinestones. Shop our Bride Shirts, Big Sister T-Shirts, Cheerleading T-Shirts, Christmas T Shirts, Halloween Shirts, Birthday T Shirts or create your own custom designs online. Shirts are shipped within days, not weeks!

OUR REVIEW

I’ve actually had the opportunity to review items from Just Jen in the past so I knew pretty much what to expect. The exceptional quality, the quick turnaround time, and the beautiful shiny Swarovski crystal rhinestones are all reasons why Just Jen is one of my favorite online stores.

This time around I was able to select from their shirts for sisters and chose 2 designs for Kiana and Kaila. They’re always so cute when they play together that I couldn’t wait to have them wear their bling sister tees.

Ordering was easy . . . I just had to select the design, crystal color, shirt style, and size. That’s it! The great thing about Just Jen is that they will contact you if they have any questions about your order or if they have a suggestion on what may work better. Of course, the final decision is all yours but it’s nice to sometimes get a second opinion.

When the shirts arrived I couldn’t wait to open them! What I found were 2 beautiful and quality made shirts. The 100% combed cotton material was soft and comfortable. There were no scratchy seams and even the backing of the crystals couldn’t be felt on the fabric.

However, the best part is how great they looked! The girls wore them during our recent Bishop Museum outing and we had so many compliments from strangers. The kids were stunned when people greeted them by name! LOL! In fact, the kids love them so much that my friends and neighbors are beginning to think it’s the only shirts they own.

Thank you to Just Jen for another great review opportunity! We love our custom bling shirts!

Connect with Just Jen:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter

This post was written for Just Jen who provided the complimentary shirts in exchange for our honest review.

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