Mermaid Spotted In FL - Sun Tail Mermaid Tail And Monofin Review #usfg

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Gwyn showing off her tail on the beach. She was quite the attraction.

Sun Tail Mermaid is yet another amazing product that thanks KickStarter.com was able to expand their kid-sized monofins and mermaid tails. on March 2015 Sun Tail Mermaid launched a campaign on Kickstarter to expand their product line to include premium realistic mermaid tails and monofins for teens and adults. Within one month they were fully funded thanks to 78 generous backers and now offer a large selection of monofins, mermaid tails, swimsuits and shark fins. Sun Tail Mermaid is a multi-family owned and operated business based in Alaska but they are spread all over the seven seas.

Not only are Sun Tail Mermaids dreams coming true, but my daughters is as well. What child (or adult for that matter) hasn't fantasized about being a mermaid.

A moms review:
Christmas arrived a little early for my daughter and just in time for our trip to FL. Let me give a quick little back story so you understand just how special this early Christmas gift was for my daughter.

As you may have noticed I haven't been blogging much this past year. If you follow me elsewhere on social media then you know that I have been struggling with some very horrible health issues. Last November I had major foot surgery and well this November I had major cervical and skull surgery. The only surgeon I could find that would do the much needed surgery on my neck to rid me of my chronic migraines and neck pain was in FL however and he didn't take insurance. So we spent a year fundraising and selling lots of stuff (including pets) to get the funds we needed. This meant that we had no family vacation this year, no frivolous spending, and it meant that the kids most likely wouldn't be getting many (if any) Christmas gifts. Well surgery did happen and we are still in FL, so I guess our vacation did happen after all (at least for the kids) since we got to spend 3 weeks in a condo with a pool and bay beach out our back door. And Christmas came a little early for one of the kids thanks to Sun Tail Mermaid and US Family Guide blogger offers.

It took me a good 1/2 hour to choose the perfect tail for  Gwyn. There were so many beautiful options. I ended up choosing the Seven Seas Mermaid Tail + Monofin Set which is rainbow. I had just dyed her hair rainbow so it matched perfectly. Since we were heading down to FL within the week of me ordering I emailed the company and explained our situation to see if they thought it would arrive in time before we left or if I needed to change the shipping to the FL condo. They assured me it would arrived very quickly and before we left...and it did. Talk about great customer service. The tail arrived in a large brown box with no markings so the kids had no idea what was inside. I opened the box in secrecy to check out the tail, and well couldn't resist trying it on. I was unsure about the size, but thanks to several reviews I decided on the JS so it would fit her next summer too. She is 11 yrs old but just about my size in the weight department (107 lbs) and just a little shorter (5 ft roughly). She already wears my clothes...not sure how that happened! Because the material is 4 way stretch a Kids XL would have probably fit her as well. The tail fit me perfectly as well and I am closer to 6 ft and 130 lbs. I immediately wrapped the box and placed it by the door to be loaded into the car. The wrapped package drove the kids crazy especially since they weren't expecting anything this year and it was killing them as to why it was going with us to FL when Christmas was still a month away.

We didn't give her the gift right away since they were going to a friends while I had my surgery and we didn't want her bummed out that she couldn't use the tail right away so we waited until the kids got home. We gave Gwyn the present and explained it was an early gift and that we were giving it to her now because it was something she would be able to use while we were in FL. She unwrapped the present and I am pretty sure everyone within a 1 mile radius heard the squeal.

 
As recommended on the Sun Tail Mermaid paperwork she first practiced with just the monofin. I couldn't believe how well she did and how natural she was with the monofin. She said the monofin is very comfortable, easy to get on and easy to use. The unique thing about these monofins is that they are made with neoprene and one size fits all (2 sizes available Keiki for kids and Nunui for adults/teens), thanks to adjustable velcro straps. Many of the other monofins on the market are plastic, breakable, difficult to adjust and uncomfortable. They also come in a wide selection of colors so that you can match your mermaid tail. The monofin will be something she will have for years to come.

After she mastered swimming with the monofin she added the tail. The tail has an opening in the bottom making it easy to just slide the monofin into the tail. The set also came with monofin protector tips (removable when not using the tail) and mer-shield tape to help protect and repair the tail as needed. The tail is made of high quality swimsuit fabric which is 80/20% nylon/spandex material with 4 way stretch. They do quality control testing on all batches of fabric to ensure the best color fastness and durability for your tails. The laser printed scales on the tails make them look 3d and very realistic. Sun Tail Mermaid indicates the tails are made to last a season however with proper care (which may be easier for older kids and adults) I think these tails could withstand a couple seasons. Gwyn as taken great care of her tail so far making sure to not drag it on the ground and hanging it up properly to dry. The tail could also be used for swimming without a monofin and since the bottom is open making it easy to walk in, you could also use it for dress-up or a costume.

As we imagined she has had a great time with her tail and monofin and has become quite the mermaid. She is definitely going to be bummed when we leave FL, since she will have to wait until the Spring to use it again. The condo we are staying in has a lot of "older" folks visiting and they all been quite impressed and enamored. One evening we walked down to the beach for a mermaid photo shoot and she became quite the attraction...it isn't everyday that a mermaid washes up on Boca Ciega Bay after all. Several people ended up asking to take photos of her with her tail to show their grand-kids. 

My daughter gives the Sun Tail Mermaid tale 10 stars! She has wanted a mermaid tail since she was about 6 yrs old, but in all honesty they always worried me because I am quite the stickler for water safety. But she is such an excellent swimmer now and to make sure my kids had some resemblance of Christmas I caved and I am glad I did. She has had no issues with swimming with the tail...but of course adult supervision is always required when near the water.  Some tails I have seen on the market make it difficult to stand up if need be but the Sun Tail Mermaid tail and monofin are easy to stand up in which made me feel a little at ease. She is already trying to convince me she needs a second one and a swimsuit top to match. She read inside her packaging that Sun Tail Mermaid has a photo contest....thus the reason for our beach photo shoot.

Links to follow:

-Sun Tail Mermaid Facebook
-Sun Tail Mermaid Twitter

Where to buy:

Want a mermaid tail or a shark fin of your own? My readers can save this holiday season. Take 10% off your order at Sun Tail Mermaid by using code BestGiftEver at checkout!

Must Have Gift - Calling All Mermaids and Sharks

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Do you have a child that is more fish than human? Are you looking for the perfect gift for your mermaid or shark? Then you must check out the fun products at Sun Tail Mermaid.

Make your little girls dream come true! Sun Tail Mermaid has created the world's best swimmable mermaid tails and mermaid flippers. Their mermaid tails are soft, comfortable, and come in a wide variety of designs and colors. They are made of high quality swimsuit fabric with 4-way stretch.

Sun Tail Mermaid's monofins are extremely comfortable and virtually unbreakable. Their patented monofin is several steps ahead of everyone else in engineering, durability, comfort, and functionality. The propulsion and control is exceptional. The monofins come in a wide range of beautiful colors, so you can match your mermaid tails or look amazing wearing it alone.

10% discount - Receive a 10% discount on your order at www.SunTailMermaid.com by using coupon code: BestGiftEver

Homeschooling With National Geographic Books #NGKInsider

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It is no secret that our family has a slight, okay a BIG, book addiction. We have several favorite publishers that we love and utilize in our homeschooling journey and National Geographic Kids is one of them. Their entire line up of books are educational, fun and filled with beautiful illustrations. And most importantly the kids LOVE them.

Over the last few months we have received several amazing books from National Geographic, it is one of the many perks of being part of the National Geographic Kids Insider Club. Sadly I got a little bit behind due to some health issues so I am sharing all of the great books we received that we have been utilizing in our homeschool learning adventures.

I'd like to also mention that all of these books make great gifts for the upcoming holidays too and many are currently on sale on Amazon right now!

A Friend For Lakota by Jim and Jamie Dutcher - ($16.99) Since we homeschool you might think bullying is not a huge concern for our family, but it is, and mostly in our own home. I always say that my kids are each others best friends and worst enemies, it is to be expected since they are together ALL the time. In this book Emmy winning Jim and Jamie Dutcher had the unique experience of living in a tented camp in Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains among a pack of wolves where they observed and documented the rarely seen social behavior, including bullying. In the book Lakota is a shy wolf pup who is growing up as the lowest ranked and frequently picked on member of the wolf pack (his brothers and sisters). This story was a great one for my kids. It taught them a very important lesson about not bullying one another and being there for each other no matter what and it also taught them that they shouldn't bully other kids and should they see a kid being bullied to do something to help them. In the back of the book there is a map that shows where Lakota lives as well as information about gray wolves, notes from the authors and a page with websites, books and places to see wolves. The photographs in this book are absolutely stunning by the way and make you feel like you are right there with the National Geographic photographers.*If you hurry you can get this book for $11.79 on Amazon right now!

100 Things To Make You Happy by Lisa m. Gerry - ($9.99) Have you ever made a happiness bucket list? Well after you flip through the pages of this book you just might. This book is filled with great ideas that are guaranteed to make you happy. Try a few or try them all, from exercises and foods that boost happiness to tips from professional "happy makers," like psychologists and even magicians. This book is also filled with inspirational quotes, heartwarming tales from the animal kingdom and interviews with National Geographic explorers who followed their dreams. I will tell you I have been very down in the dumps lately due to my health. I am in pain just about everyday and extremely exhausted. So whenever I am having a really bad day I flip open to a page in this book and find some inspiration to be happy. So not only is this book great for kids it's great for moms too! "The secret to happiness is to start by doing things that make you happy!" *If you hurry you can get this book for $7.34 on Amazon right now!

Why? Over 1,111 Answers to Everything by Crispin Boyer - ($19.99) Have you ever wondered why your cat hacks up hair balls? Or why volcanoes blow their tops? Well this book has you covered. It contains 7 chapters covering questions about your body, our planet, the universe, history, technology, animals and pop culture. This book is filled with hundreds of topics ranging from silly to serious, and includes expert information! It is fun and entertaining and will literally keep your kids busy for hours....seriously it kept my kids busy during a recent road trip from Georgia to Florida. Answers include all kinds of fascinating extra info like top ten lists, weird-but-true facts, explorer profiles, and cool activities. If your kids are anything like mine they ask a lot of questions....well this book will give them the answers without needing to Google! *If you hurry you can get this book for $10.99 on Amazon right now!

Mission Tiger Rescue by Kitson Jazynka - ($12.99) One of our favorite series from National Geographic Kids is the Mission Rescue Series. One of the homeschool clubs I run is zoo club. Each month we visit the zoo and learn about an animal while sitting in front of the animals habitat. Well thanks to the Mission Rescue books I am always well prepared for zoo club and can not only teach the children about the all about the animals but also ways we can help rescue them. Mission Tiger Rescue combines fun and amazing adventure stories, beautiful photographs, hands on activities, tons of facts and more. Throughout the book you meet real life tigers and learn about their habitats, challenges, and successes plus how YOU can personally take action and save these amazing endangered animals. Check out my review on Lion Rescue and Elephant Rescue here. *If you hurry you can get this book for $11.4 Amazon right now!

Buzz Aldrin Welcome To Mars with Marianne J. Dyson - ($18.99) This book is perfect compliment for our astronomy lessons. This book has 5 detailed chapters and covers Why Mars, Off to Mars, Approaching Mars, Riches of Mars, Martian Home and Green Mars. The kids favorite part of the book are the hands-on science experiments. I love that in the back of the book there is a section with additional book recommendations and websites. *If you hurry you can get this book for $12.22 on Amazon right now!

Pope Francis by Barbara Kramer  - ($3.99) I am sure you are all well aware there is a new Pope in the Vatican, Pope Francis! But did you know that he is the oldest of 5 siblings, that he loved to play soccer as a kid, that he was the first pope to take a selfie, or that he is an excellent cook? Well you can learn these facts and more in this Level 1 reader. This book arrived at the perfect time because my daughter asked to learn about the smallest country in the World this year which is well the Vatican!

How to Survive Anything by Rachel Buchholz - ($12.95) My kids are very interested in survival skills so this book is right up their alley. It contains 31 chapters and covers everything from surviving a tornado to a breakup. We took this book along with us on a recent camping adventure it was the perfect book to read at bedtime. I mean knowing how to survive a snakebike, being lost in the woods, or wildfire is definitely important information to know when camping! *If you hurry you can get this book for $8.34 on Amazon right now!

APPS:
Before I get to some really exciting news I want to quickly share one more valuable resource we use in our homeschool and that is apps. Well National Geographic experts have teamed up with Google Play to hand select some top educational apps. Nat Geo Kids is all about exciting children to explore the world around them. With these apps kids will have so much fun discovering all about animals, science, countries, and more that they’ll forget they’re learning. We have personally tried at least 4 of these apps and can say they definitely deserve to be on the list!

 

My kids love their National Geographic Kids subscription. This magazine subscription definitely makes a great gift for any child. Each magazine is loaded with engaging age appropriate content and fantastic photography. Little kids is designed for children ages 3-6 yrs old and Kids is designed for children age 6-12 yrs old. Currently you can get a subscription for as low as $12-$15.

Giveaway:
Guess what? One winner will receive a 1 yr subscription to their choice of Kids or Little Kids National Geographic Magazine thanks to National Geographic. Just fill out the Rafflecopter entry form below. Only the first entry is mandatory. Other entries are optional and give you extra chances. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. The winner will be posted on the blog and will be emailed. Winner must reply within 24 hrs with their contact information or another winner will be chosen. Prize will be shipped by National Geographic. Wait a moment for it to load....

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Brick Builders Club Review #BrickSwag

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

I have another Lego related item for you that I reviewed. Can you tell we are a Lego loving family? This one is an awesome one of a kind subscription box for the Lego lover in your family and its called BrickSwag from the Brick Builders Club! Subscription boxes are the newest fad and I can totally see why....I mean who doesn't love getting fun stuff in the mail every month?

Now I don't have Rowyn's opinion yet on this amazing product because it is going to be one of his Christmas gifts but I think it's safe to say he is going to go crazy over it.

Every month a Lego style box arrives at your door filled with an exclusive T-Shirt, trading cards, parts packs, activities, techniques/tips, mini build challenge and more!

In our November box we received a turkey build, really cool t-shirt (which I claimed because it is too big for Rowyn), brick booster pack, trading cards, Lego cup, BrickSwag brick, fun poster, build a feast challenge pack and tips and trick book. I can already tell you Rowyn is going to go crazy over the bricks but I also know the trading cards are going to be a huge hit because since they have become a new hobby for him over the last few months. When you sign up for a subscription you can select the t-shirt size you need so you won't have to worry about it being too big or small (since we received our set to review I wasn't able to select the size).  The challenge pack is definitely something Rowyn is going to love participating in, especially since he aspires to become a Master Builder. Each month you can build a creation to go along with the theme and submit it online boosterbricks.com/brickswag. If you win you receive a Booster Bucket 500! Pretty awesome right?

Want a box? Subscribe!

Brick Builders Club is Now Enrolling for May! Don't miss out! 

Sign up for the plan that suits you:

$26/mo (one month)

$23.50/mo (three months)

$21.50/mo (six months)
$20/mo (1 year)

*You can receive 10% off your NEW Membership by using code HAPPYTEN at checkout.

Still undecided? Perhaps the cost is holding you back? Well let me tell you that these boxes are worth every penny. The shirt alone is worth $20. If I had to place a value on all the items you receive I would put the cost of these boxes at about $35-$40.

You can learn more about Brick Builders Club through their website. Be sure to connect and share with Brick Builders Club through Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube! Use hashtag #BrickSwag to tag and share your photos and videos!

You can also register for the Brick Builders FREE Lego Building Guidelines emails. 

Click N' Play 500 Piece Building Block Set Review #Valuepack500blocks

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

I have a Lego loving son who can never seem to have enough bricks despite having a rolling cooler + a plastic bin full of them.....not to mention the countless bricks that I often find, I mean step on, laying on the floor. And then there are the bricks that are hiding in the car in various nooks and crannies. But like I said he can NEVER have enough so of course I couldn't resist reviewing the 500 Piece Click N' Play Building Block Set.

The 500 piece big bag comes with an assortment of building blocks in various colors and sizes, 10 assorted colors in 14 block sizes to be exact. I must admit I was skeptical that they would fit properly with his Lego brand bricks, but they did and were a nice snug fit. The company actually guarantees them to be compatible with compatible with Lego and other major building block manufacturers. I am not sure my son will be thrilled with the pink and purple blocks but luckily he has a Lego loving sister too.

The best part about these bricks is the price. They cost a fraction of what a similar Lego brand set would. With this set your child will stay busy for hours. You can order the bricks on Amazon. Order them today and get them in time for Christmas. These fabulous bricks will actually be under our tree this Christmas!

These bricks are not affiliated with or endorsed in any way by Lego, a registered trademark of Lego Systems.  

#BrickSwag LEGO Subscription Box - 20% Discount Offer

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Do you have a LEGO love in your house? I do. My son can spend hours playing with his Lego bricks as a matter of fact he is actually on the Creative Crew at our local Legoland Discovery Center and hopes to one day be a LEGO Master Builder. So if you have a LEGO lover in your home here is the perfect item that will keep the inspiration flowing and help your LEGO lover achieve master-builder status!

This is a definite hot pick this holiday season, and we have it for you now at the best price. Last year, memberships sold out before December so now is the time to lock in for this holiday season.

Go over to brickswag.com, choose your plan and use code FAM20 for your extra 20% savings!

BrickSwag is box full of LEGO-themed merchandise that arrives monthly in the mail just for your builder. It even arrives with their name on the package.

Every month, your red brick-shaped box arrives packed with official LEGO bricks you keep - never clone brands, an exclusive LEGO-themed T-shirt in any size, Build Magazine packed with interviews and building ideas, custom trading cards, inspirational posters, and more.

BrickSwag has a mission that most moms can appreciate and that is....To Inspire, Educate, and Entertain with LEGO bricks.


Use this code for an additional 20% off your membership: FAM20 (valid until 11/30).

 

Educents Holiday Gift Guide

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

❄ Happy Holidays! ❄

The Educents team is excited to share their favorite deals and products with you this holiday season. Each staff member chose their favorite deal for the holidays and included it in this handy guide. Check out the deals, including free apps, art & craft supplies, personalized books, LEGO sets, martial arts online and so much more. They have something for everyone!

VIEW THE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE HERE

4 Free $10 Gift Certificates

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

So are you decorated for Christmas yet? We aren't we plan to do our decorating on Sunday. Have you gotten all of your Christmas shopping done yet? I am just about done. If you still need a few items and want to save $10 while you are at it, check out these four great offers.

After you submit your email address you will receive a $10 gift certificate that can be used on your purchase. I don't know about you, but I love FREE Stuff.

Get a free $10 gift certificate at nomorerack. They have lots of great deals for kids, men and women. They have lots of stuff for around $10-$15 too! Plus shipping is only $2 per item. *Must spend $30 to use the $10 off. 

Fishflix is offering $10 gift card certificates. They have dvds for $5-$7 right now so you can get a really awesome deal. They have movies like The Lorax, Where the Red Fern Grow, Narnia, tons of Veggie Tales and more. I snagged two horse dvds for my daughter which I only paid shipping on.

Get $10 off your first Kiwi Crate, Tinker Crate, Doodle Crate or Koala Crate.  Our first Tinker Crate box is in the mail and I am so excited to see what's inside.

New Educents subscribers can get a $10 credit in Edubucks, which can be put toward the purchase of ANYTHING on the site (with no minimums or catches)

If I come across any more in the next few days I will post them. So be sure to bookmark or pin this post.

* I tried all three of these and each one worked at the time of this posting.

Unique Gift Idea For Nature Lovers - JORD Wood Watches Review and Giveaway

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

JORD Wood Watches is a locally owned St. Louis, Missouri company that designs and produces one- of-a-kind wooden watches that are made from sustainable materials, from all over the world. They offer a wide selection of men's and women's watches that are all made from wood! JORD is a relatively new company which is why you have probably not heard about them yet, so keep reading to learn more.

Jord - Swedish - earth, soil, land

A moms review:

It is very rare that I get asked to review a product that is adult in nature. So when I was asked by JORD to review one of their beautiful wooden watches, I couldn't resist. Merry Christmas to ME!

I have been addicted to unique watches ever since I was a child and I used to have quite an extensive collection. (over 30). Sadly since the advent of the cellphone my watch wearing days have slowly dwindled. My love for them however has never faded and whenever I am in a store that sells watches I cannot resist stopping by the watch counter to check out all the beautiful timepieces. The JORD wood watches though are unlike any watch I have ever come across before and the nature lover in me immediately fell in love.

The JORD watches are handcrafted right here in the USA using all natural, untreated woods from all over the world including Maple, Sandlewood, Bamboo, Koa and Zebrawood. They are one-of-a-kind, very unique and extremely versatile. There is a great selection of choices which does make it very hard to choose which one to get!

After checking out all the amazing designs, I finally decided to go with the Ely in Black. There are 5 styles available which have been designed with women in mind. The Ely watch is the smaller of the 5 and perfect for tiny wrists...like mine. It comes in 4 different wood options: black, maple, cherry and natural green/maple. Since I tend to wear dark colors I choose to go with the darker face and band option. The Ely watch features include a scratch resistant mineral face, Citizen Miyota Quartz Movement (with date display) and a sturdy stainless steel deployment buckle with push button. The band is 200 mm long and 21 mm thick and adjustable (I highly recommend taking it to a professional watch store to get it adjusted). I had to get 3 links take out on mine....my wrists are the size of a child's.

Usborne Book Giveaway

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

We love Usborne books and probably own about 30+ of them. Usborne books are exciting, engaging, and educational. They are high quality, innovative, lavishly-illustrated and best of all they are the books children love to read. There are almost 2,000 bright colorful and fun titles covering a wide variety of subjects to choose from. If you are looking for the perfect gift for your children, look no further. If you look under specials on the left hand side under categories you can find books as low as $3. 

Want to win an Explorers Sticker Book? My Usborne consultant friend Jody is offering one of these fabulous books to one lucky reader. USA only. 

If you want to earn FREE books ask Jody about hosting your own Usborne eShow with a wish list registry for the holidays (or birthday).

Now time for the giveaway:

One winner will receive a copy of the Explorers Sticker Book. Only the first entry is mandatory. Other entries are optional and give you extra chances. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. The winner will be posted on the blog and will be emailed. Winner must reply within 24 hrs with their contact information or another winner will be chosen. 

**Note the mandatory option for the giveaway is to create a wishlist with at least 5 books. You will need to register on the website then find 5 books you like and just add them to your wishlist. At the bottom of your wishlist there is a link that you will need to copy and paste into the giveaway form below.

Please wait a moment for Rafflecopter to load.....

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Out of the Box Games - Snake Oil Party Potion Review

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Out of the Box Games is an American game publisher that has been dedicated to providing fun, innovative party, card and board games since 1998. All of their games are easy to learn, colorfully illustrated, fun, educational and easily played in less than an hour. And they have won numerous awards.

A moms review: 
We love games...like a lot. We love them so much that we have an entire chest and bookshelf full of them. And I am always on the search for games that are not only fun, but also educational. Well the game we received from Out of the Box Games totally fits the bill!

We received a copy of Snake Oil – Party Potion which is recommended for children ages 8 years and older...however younger children that are able to read will be able to play as well. Snake Oil is super easy to learn and lots of fun to play. We couldn't wait to play Party Potion, so the day it arrived we grabbed the quilt, headed out to the front lawn and played several rounds. Both my 8 and 7 year old loved the game and had no trouble playing it.  They especially liked that there were no lengthy instructions. It was the perfect way sneak in reading for the day. Since then we have played the game several times and each time the game is tons of fun and different than time before.

Before I get into the game playing specifics I want to tell you the educational values of this game. It just so happened that we were learning about the Wild West when the game arrived and it went along wonderfully with what we were learning about. Have you ever heard of Snake Oil? Well the term Snake Oil is from the Wild West days and was used to describe fake health products. In the ol' days, salesmen would try to convince customers to buy oil or liquors in medicine bottles. Yup those magic bottles would cure all yer' aches and pains. People spent their life savings only to realize a few days later that they had been swindled and that the Snake Oil salesman was long gone and probably already in the next town.  Some of the other educational concepts this game promotes are oral presentation skills, creativity and innovation, risk taking, communication skills, vocabulary building, empathetic persuasion strategies and more.

How To Play The Game:
The game is designed to be played by 3-6 players, takes just 5 minutes to learn and 20-30 minutes to play....but your children will have so much fun they will want to play for hours.

To play Snake Oil Party Potion you first decide who will be the customer. The customer then chooses a customer card (blue on one side and green on the other). The customer cards provide a role such as Mad Scientist, Princess, Snowman, The President, etc.

The other players use the word cards (2 sets included) to create a unique, outrageous product for the customer. Each player (aka Snake Oil salesman) will lay down two word cards to create a potion. Next they will pitch their product to the customer and convince them as to why they NEED the product. Boy does it get silly.

After the players have made their pitches, the customer awards the customer card to the player who had the best sales pitch. Then the player to the left of the customer becomes the next customer. The game continues in this fashion until everyone has been the customer at least once....or in our case until all the customer cards are finished. The winning player is the one with the most customer cards.

Doesn't that sound like tons of fun?

The game even grows with your children because you can combine the Snake Oil Party Potion cards with the original Snake Oil game (recommended for ages 10 and up) for even more game playing fun.

This game is lots fun and perfect for the entire family...even the anti game playing members. We had a blast playing and laughing together. And later the children had fun drawing pictures of the crazy products they concocted. Can you imagine what poison milk, magic pants or wish plunger would like like? We loved the fact that the game is easy to transport making it perfect for family camping trips, car rides or hotel stays. It has become a new family favorite and thankfully it is packaged in a small box so it had no problem finding a home on the game shelf.

Links to follow:

-Out of the Box Facebook
-Out of the Box Twitter
-Out of the Box YouTube

Where to buy:
Snake Oil Party Potion retails for $14.99 and can be found at local game stores and on Amazon.

Click here for more Out Of The Box Games reviews from the The Schoolhouse Review Crew.

Time In A Box From FoxMind Games

Are you looking for a way to reconnect with your children? Are you wanting to get them (and yourself) off the electronic devices for a day? Are you sick of hearing mom I'm bored? Then check out Time In A Box!

FoxMind Presents the Gift No One Else Can Give!

What does every child want? An I Pad? Xbox? Maybe, but what is the one thing that every child wants, needs and deserves? At FoxMind Games they believe they know the answer and today announced the international availability of its new Time in a Box.

The new product, the brainchild of child psychologist and writer Rute Moreira, is more than its contents. It's a gift of dedicated time; an opportunity to try new things; a way to explore art and science; a chance to plan for the future and to consider the past; and a way to tell a child in your life that they matter to you - more than anything!

David Capon, President of FoxMind, explained, "The benefits of Time in a Box extend beyond the product itself because it creates uninterrupted quality moments with the family and reinforces social-emotional connections. It also aims to reinforce the child's feeling of connection to a larger community such as the neighborhood or the town where he or she lives."

When you give Time in a Box, (MSRP $17.95 for 2 players ages 6 and up) you are offering a child you care about the gift no one else in the world can give them: your time. Inside the box you'll find 96 activity cards that allow a child to momentarily shift your priorities and focus on doing a special activity together, such as playing a board game; solving a puzzle; starting a family tree; making a blanket fort; or carrying out an act of kindness that will bring a smile to a stranger's face. Time in a Box includes a simple written agreement between you and the child that sets the ground rules by which you'll both abide. Adults should switch off their smart phones and get ready for some quality time!

"Season-by-season, Time in a Box is a gift that inspires activities that provide a wealth of ways to make memories together and the unique and beautiful box can serve as a memory chest where pictures and notes can be collected and treasured," Capon said.

Review coming soon....

In the meantime check out Time in A Box here and follow FoxMind on Twitter and Facebook.

The Amazing Zhus Review #TheAmazingZhus

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details. I was sent an Amazing Zhu and two Amazing Zhus Accessories by Cepia, LLC to review with my family. All opinions expressed are my own or my children's own.

Cepia, LLC is a master toymaker based out of Missouri that has been bringing smiles to children for years with their fun, magical toys. Some of their brands included ZhuZhu Pets, The Happys, Glo E, DageDar and now The Amazing Zhus.

A moms review:
Step right up and prepare to be amazed! Do you remember the ZhuZhu pet craze a few years ago? Well I do. It was all my children wanted for Christmas. Well this year ZhuZhu pets are making a come back and bringing loads of magical, interactive fun!

What child doesn't love magic and magicians? Well with the new Amazing Zhus from Cepia, LLC every child can become a magician. The Amazing Zhus are motorized toys that will amaze and mesmerize your children and their audience as they perform magic tricks and gravity-defying stunts. These toys are intended for children ages 4 and up and guaranteed to keep children busy for hours.

We received an Amazing Zhus pet named Piccadilly and two Amazing Zhus Stunt Accessories, the Disappearing Box Trick and High Dive to review. With an Amazing Zhu and stunt in hand children can amaze their spectators with tantalizing tricks and fantastical feats. It only takes minutes for children to learn how to perform tricks and feats with their Zhu friends, but they will have hours of fun entertaining friends and family.

My children absolutely loved that they were in charge of the show and had tons of fun performing stunts and tricks with their Amazing Zhus for their audience. The first trick they mastered was the disappearing Zhu. The great thing about the Disappearing Box is that you can place anything into the box and watch it disappear and reappear before your eyes. Next they snapped Piccadilly onto her stunt ball to perform her spin-tingling 30 inch free fall into a tiny bucket of water below. The children laughed and giggled over and over again.

There are a total of 6 amazing pets available: The Great Zhu, Madame Zhu, Dynamo, Abra, Piccadilly and The Great Kardini. These pets are so cute that your children will definitely want to collect them all! Unlike the ZhuZhu pets the Amazing Zhus are not fuzzy, but they are still absolutely adorable. They still make lots of fun noises and have 3 operation buttons and 3 modes. The Amazing Zhus Magician Pets (The Great Zhu and Madame Zhu) come with Magician Cards and can correctly guess the answers to the cards - without even looking. They also come with their very own wands and magic hats. Each Amazing Zhu also comes with batteries!!!

There are many amazing accessories to help your children and their Zhus create their own special, unique performances: Magician Shell Game, High Dive, Circus Ball, High Wire, Disappearing Box Trick, Cereal Box, Tomato Can and Train Car Carriers.

But don't take my word for it! Watch the video below to see what my children have to say. You can view additional videos here.


Have you seen The Amazing Zhus in stores yet? What do you think would be your children's favorite Amazing Zhu pet, trick or stunt?

Links to follow:

-The Amazing Zhus Website
-The Amazing Zhus Facebook 
-The Amazing Zhus Twitter 

Where to buy:
The Amazing Zhus will be sold exclusively in Walmart stores nationwide beginning in October, and prices will range from $7.99-$24.99. They will be disappearing off the shelves so make sure you get your hands on one NOW! To learn more about The Amazing Zhus, check them out at their site at AmazingZhus.com.