gift idea – The Next Kid Thing

Delivering Smiles: Donate to Toys for Tots with Alexa

November 30, 2018November 30, 2018 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Amazon has done it again. The online retailer has made shopping for daily items, including holiday purchases, as easy as clicking a button. Taking their #DeliveringSmiles movement to the next level, Amazon is now helping families give gifts to charity with the ease of asking Alexa. Customers can now donate to Toys for Tots with Alexa, with a simple command: “Donate to Toys for Tots.”

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Amazon kicked off Giving Tuesday by launching a new, easy way for customers to donate a toy to a child in need. Customers can now donate a toy to Toys for Tots via Alexa by simply saying, “Alexa, donate to Toys for Tots.” This is the first time that customers can donate a product to a charity via voice shopping and better yet, Amazon will be matching customer donations throughout the end of the year – toy for toy – doubling customers’ contributions!

As a family who volunteers regularly, including giving back to our community and donating to organizations such as Toys to Tots every holiday, I love that Amazon is leveraging Alexa to help families give to those in need. We consistently use the Smile program to give back to organizations that are important to us, so the Toys for Tots and Alexa initiative makes our love for Amazon that much greater.

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I had a candid conversation with the boys today about giving back and donating to those in need. We stopped by a local #toysfortots location to drop off a bag of new toys as part of our #givethanksgiveback Advent Calendar.

A post shared by Jen Rabulan-Bertram (@jenrab) on Dec 4, 2016 at 10:35am PST

More Ways to Use Alexa to Be Charitable

Amazon shared more ways that you can support a cause this holiday season:

Alexa Donations: Customers who wish to make a monetary donation to the charity of their choice outside of Toys for Tots are still able to do so. Simply say, “Alexa, I want to make a donation” to get started.
Charity Lists: New this holiday season, customers can shop Charity Lists and donate an item to their favorite charity. Charity Lists is a new feature that provides non-profits an easy way to create lists while providing a convenient way for customers to donate needed items to the charity of their choice with the reassurance the curated list is managed by the charity. Customers can shop Charity Lists from hundreds of charities by visiting smile.amazon.com/charitylists.
AmazonSmile: AmazonSmile is a way for customers to support their favorite charity every time they shop with Amazon, at no extra cost. Customers who start their shopping at smile.amazon.com will find the same Amazon they know, the added extra is that AmazonSmile will donate a portion of the purchase price of eligible items to the charity they choose.

Be sure to check out this out on Amazon. We’ll be making our donations this weekend! Let me know if you guys donate to Toys for Tot with Alexa!

Full disclosure: this is a sponsored post. As always, opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting NKT.

Thomas and Friends Birthday Fun

February 13, 2018 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

My little guy recently celebrated his sixth birthday and we had a fun time celebrating. He’s been obsessed with Thomas and Friends for quite some time, but this year, he was especially excited about having a Thomas birthday.

Since we were also celebrating my brother’s wedding on the same weekend, we did our best to make Little’s birthday extra special. In addition to fun Thomas books and special Thomas trains, he was gifted with quite a few fun Thomas playsets.

The highlight of his birthday, however, were his birthday cakes! Yup, plural cakes! He had a Thomas cake in the evening of the rehearsal dinner, as well as a special cake at his party, which was a custom made by a company in Va called Diana’s Sweets.

We got him several brand new tracks that are compatible with Thomas and Friends sets, as well some track accessories from Learning Resources. Thomas and Friends Minis has been a longtime favorite for my train aficionado, especially for its collectibility factor. My cousin gave him the Boost N’ Blast Mini set, which was an immediate hit with all the kids. It was so fun watching the kids blast the Minis into the tubes.

One of the best things I love about the Thomas has is how it encourages STEM learning and discovery. As much as I love my guy growing and flourishing, I want to savor these sweet, innocent days forever—including all the trains and tracks ALL over my house!

Super Lucky’s Tale: Bonding with Games

December 12, 2017 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

This post is sponsored by Playful Corp. Thank you for supporting NKT.

In between sports and activities, we sometimes squeak in some time on the Xbox. Recently, we had the chance to take Super Lucky’s Tale for a spin. In this fun adventure game, Lucky is faced with a series of challenges, which includes confronting some little villains and meeting some quirky friends.

Whether we’re playing actual games, or the video game variety, it seems we’re always battling something. Games and gaming teaches and reinforces so many helpful lessons for my boys.

1. Healthy competition

As always, I’m going to keep it real here: if there’s an opportunity for a competition, my boys will be up for it. Healthy competition works wonders for social development. We do our best to squash the entitled behavior before it becomes an issue, which is where competition between brothers is a pre-cursor for other friendships and learning how to cope and face conflict.

2. Teamwork

When playing games such as Super Lucky’s Tale, it’s important for kids to know how to ask and reach out for help when they need it. Ultimately, kids thrive when working together, so learning how to flourish in a team setting is an important life skill that can be learned when playing video games. My boys love putting their heads together when trying to conquer certain levels or locating a specific part in a game. I love the way they work together and hone that teamwork skill.

3. Loyalty and Losing

They will battle each other ’til the end, but when it really counts, thank goodness, they’ll always have each other’s backs. The boys have no choice but to support each other ’til the end because that’s when it will be their turn! If they don’t support one another, the game often gets boring or worse, long and drawn out. In (almost) every game, there’s a winner and a loser, and this is another important facet of life that can be learned when gaming together.

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The kids had fun exploring and facing the various challenges throughout Lucky’s adventure. There were quite a few parts when the boys couldn’t tackle a certain level and had to keep redoing it, but the were there cheering and helping each other the whole way. I can’t wait for them to get to the point where they can help each other find the hidden secrets of Super Lucky’s Tale, much like I did with my own favorite adventure games with my big brother.

Super Lucky’s Tale from Playful Corp.($29.99) is rated E for Everyone and supports Xbox Play Anywhere, which means you can pick up where you left off on another Xbox One device or Windows 10 PC, bringing all your saves, add-ons and achievements with you.

Free Holiday Target Giftcard Printables

December 3, 2017December 3, 2017 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

It’s that time of year when Target has fun sales with the holidays in mind. For today only, 12/3, Target giftcards are an extra 10% off!

As we all know, teachers, aides, bus drivers and everyone beyond seem to like gift cards vs. random tchotchkes. While a personalized note of gratitude ranks up there, I’ve learned from my many teacher friends and relatives that gift cards are the best gifts.

And, thanks to Target, they have a little discount that comes in handy when you’re buying giftcards in bulk. The gift cards are varied in design and increments starting at $10. The discount applies to the gift cards in store and online, but I personally like ordering them online. I save money by ordering online and not buying $189 worth of stuff in the store that I didn’t know that I needed!

Free Target Giftcard Printables

I love Target beyond measure, so I’m all about sharing this love! Because of that, I created a free printable for the Target Giftcards!

I made them four to a page so you can print them up for all the people in your life!

After printing out the printable on your desired paper (card stock worked well for me), cut out the cards on the gray lines. Take an Xacto knife or scissors and cut slits on the dotted lines to slide the giftcard through. I slid the card under the card so that the ends are sticking out. You can dress it up with a cute ribbon or some baking twine. Please note that some cards may be larger than the slit, so be sure to measure to avoid over cutting. In case you do over cut the slits or want to secure the card, be sure to tape the giftcard on the back of the printable.

You can download the free Target Giftcard Printable here.

Enjoy and Happy Shopping!

Full disclosure: this post includes affiliate links. Affiliates and sponsored content help pay the bills, so thank you for your continued support.

Best in Show: Finds from the New York Baby Show

May 30, 2017May 30, 2017 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The other week, Josh and I spent the afternoon at the New York Baby Show at Pier 94 scouring the booths for the latest and greatest in baby gear. From well trusted names in car seats to gadgets helping to create smart nurseries, there were so many new products featured at the New York Baby Show.

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We searched high and low, snapped tons of pics, peeked into many booths and found a really great selection of gear from baby brands that we love, as well as products from new and upcoming companies!

Here are just a few of the many great products we spotted at this year’s New York Baby Show:

Pello

With is gorgeous textiles and poufy circular shape, Pello is described as a luxury newborn lounger. This new take on a pillow can be used for feeding or for a convenient way to help baby sit somewhat upright during his/her waking hours. When baby outgrows the newborn phase, this pillow looks ideal for helping to support during the sitting up and standing phases. IMG 2941 JPG

Pello has a great selection of colors and fabrics. It can be found on Amazon and retails for $120.

Sage Spoonfuls

A longtime fan of Sage Spoonfuls, I love watching this baby feeding brand flourish. I’m so excited about the Happy Foodie stainless steel divided plate and lid. Plastic plates and feeding ware are among the first items to go in my house because they are the most used and abused. Our stainless steel lunchboxes have lasted 5+ years.

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So, I can only imagine how well the Sage Spoonfuls Happy Foodie product line will do. Safe, non-toxic, BPA, lead and phthalate-free and easy to clean!

Britax Frontier

Since we first shopped for carseats 10 years ago, Britax has been one of my all time favorite baby brands. This is, yet, another brand that I’ve loved watching flourish and working with over the years. I was so excited to see the various new strollers and carseats on display, but what truly caught my eye was the Frontier booster.

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We are solidly in the booster phase with my preschooler, so boosters have been on the brain. This new fabric is chic and unique; combining safety with style is something that Britax does so well. And speaking of safety, the Britax Frontier’s Click Tight Technology makes car seat installation as easy as buckling a seatbelt. This technology is designed to be seamless, especially for families who travel frequently or need to switch seats regularly. Click Tight is a game changer!

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Volvo

And speaking of traveling, I loved that my dream car brand was at the New York Baby Show. I’ve been eyeing Volvo’s SUVs for quite some time. Sadly, the price tag hasn’t been in the budget.

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We decided that this specific Volvo was too small for our needs, what with our year-round sports, lake gear and coaching equipment. Nevertheless, it’s fun getting a peek at my dream car at the Baby Show. Josh loved sitting in the driver’s seat and checking out the trunk.

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With thanks to Momtrends, we enjoyed meeting up with fellow bloggers in the Blogger Lounge, as well as livestreamed our favorite finds from the show. My little guy loved having the chance to play!

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Above all, we loved checking out all the awesome goodies and gear at the New York Baby Show. Stay tuned for more fun finds!

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Yowie Chocolate and Toy Surprises

April 10, 2017April 10, 2017 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

If your kids spend any time on YouTube, then you must know that surprise eggs are quite the phenomenon. Actually, anything with a reveal effect is pretty significant for the kiddie YouTube viewers.

Yowie, which makes chocolate toy surprises, has a different take on this fun treat. Yowie are like egg-like chocolate surprises, but instead, they’re monster-shaped chocolates with toys instead. The difference with these toys is that they’re educational toys that teach kids about interesting animals, and in some cases how to help species who may be endangered. To boot, the chocolate is delicious!

Yowie will be at the Think and Fun’s Easter Egg Hunt & Bunny Fun on April 15. YOWIE aims to “Save The Natural World” by promoting wildlife conservation and educating children about ecology and endangered species. More info here: http://www.yowiegroup.com

If you’re looking for a fun treat to include in your Easter baskets, be on the look out for Yowie treats!

Yowie was kind of enough to send us a pack of surprises and my guys had a fun time devouring them! All in a day’s work.

Full disclosure: Samples were provided to facilitate this review. No compensation was received. As always, all opinions are my own.

The Best Beauty and the Beast Toys and Dolls from Hasbro and Funko

March 17, 2017March 17, 2017 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Disney’s latest live action film, Beauty and the Beast, is debuting today with much Disney fanfare. Cue #BeourGuest and sparkly costumes!When the teaser started to show online and on tv, generations were captivated, including the generation that grew up watching the iconic animated version. Today, those kids who watched Belle and Beast’s animated tale are now parents, and of course, the new film’s appeal is reaching a new generation in an epic way.

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In celebration of the film’s release, we’re sharing some of our favorite toys and trinkets that we spotted at the 2017 Toy Fair here in NYC. The various companies that have the Disney license created magical toys to dazzle kids and engage in cool new ways.

Enchanting Melodies Belle Doll

Dressed in her gold ball gown, the Belle doll sings the “Something There” song from Disney’s live-action movie Beauty and the Beast. With one press of Belle’s stomach, she will sing of her budding love for the Beast in this classic song. Requires three A76 batteries, included. ($29.99/Available: Spring 2017)

Dance and Code Belle

Dance and Code Belle was one of my absolute favorite toys at Toy Fair, and perhaps my most favorite coding doll. This unique and gorgeous doll is inspired by Belle’s brains and graceful dancing. With an app, kids can code Belle’s dances and movements. I thought this was such a unique way to incorporate the tenets of STEAM and introducing coding.

Check out a video of Belle in action, as well as the other Beauty and the Beast dolls from Hasbro’s Toy Fair Showroom

Disney Beauty and the Beast Grand Romance

The deluxe duo 2-Pack includes a Belle doll dressed in a removable dress inspired by her yellow ball gown, Beast figure in his ballroom attire featuring a furry textured body, and fashion accessories. ($49.99) Available Spring 2017

Castle Friends Collection Small Doll Set

Once the human servants of the enchanted castle, the Disney Beauty and the Beast Castle Friends Collection Small Doll Set features five loyal friends to The Beast. The set features some of the characters from the live-action movie including Lumiere, Cogsworth, Chip, Mrs. Potts and Plumette. ($14.99) Available Spring 2017

Beauty and the Beast Village Belle Doll

The Village Belle doll wears the iconic blue dress inspired by the village scene in Disney’s live-action movie Beauty and the Beast. Kids, collectors, and fans of the timeless classic will love reliving their favorite moments and imagining their own stories. Includes Belle doll, outfit, and a pair of removable shoes inspired by her outfit in Disney’s live-action movie, Beauty and the Beast. ($14.99/available Spring 2017)

Funko Disney’s Belle, Beast and Gaston

Funko creates an expansive line of licensed vinyl figures, including many beloved Disney characters such as Belle and the Beast. I loved checking out the multiple iterations of these characters from their Pop! line of vinyl figures. With their over exaggerated animated features, these lovable collectibles are ideal for fans and kids alike. Now if only they had a LeFou character!

Have you seen Beauty and the Beast yet? If so, what did you love about it? More importantly, which toys are on yours and your kids’ wishlist?

Best Toys for 1 Year Olds + Diapers.com Giveaway

February 23, 2017February 24, 2017 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Even on the heels of Toy Fair, we always have toys on our minds. With a friend’s baby turning 1 soon, I was inspired to create a round up of the best toys for 1 year olds. I scoured Diapers.com to curate some of our tried and true favorite toys for 1 year olds.

From ride-ons to classic toys to techy toys, I gathered our favorites based on play value, durability, accessibility and whether my kids or kids we know loved them!

1. Manhattan Toy Snuggle Bunny Baby Doll

ManhattanToySnuggleBunnyNKT Transitioning from baby to toddler, one year olds start to change their play patterns. According to KidsHealth.org, babies go from shaking and throwing toys to understanding functions of objects as a toddler. At one year old, kids start to play pretend, so toys that allow for nurturing and modeling behavior is always a hit. Manhattan Toy makes a myriad of interactive and beautiful toys such as the Snuggle Bunny Baby Doll ($17.) This soft and cuddly doll makes for a perfect first baby doll.

2. Plan Toys Sort and Count

PlanToysSortandCount Stacking and nesting toys help toddlers develop hand-eye coordination, as well as cognitive development, according to an article on Cnn.com Simple, open ended stacking toys such as PlanToys’ Sort and Count allows kids to sort and stack the various pieces. This abacus-looking toy is made of Plan Toys’ planwood, organic rubberwood, e-zero glue, water-based dyes, recycled and recyclable materials, soy and water-based ink.

3. VTech Sit to Stand Learning Walker

VTechSittoStandWalker Many toddlers are learning to walk and toddling around at a year old, so walkers make a fun gift. This VTech Sit to Stand Learning Walker offers a lot of play value with its many learning tools and interactive electronic features. VTech is so great at the electronic learning toys, but they’re also masters at creating toys that grow with kids. This walker can be used for kids in a more stationary pattern, as well as for those who are cruising and walking.

4. Melissa and Doug Large Shapes Knob Puzzle

MelissaandDougKnobPuzzle According to Learning4kids, puzzles help toddlers with important skills such as cognitive, fine motor, hand and eye coordination, problem solving, social and self esteem. Wooden puzzles from Melissa and Doug provide fun play patterns for toddlers to co-play and enjoy independence. I love the knob puzzles for toddlers, to give them extra help grasping these chunky pieces. Classic puzzles are timeless and perfect for curious problem solvers.

5. B Toys Fish Splish Boat

BtoysSplishFishBoat Good bath toys are the best for toddlers! I love the colors and creativity that B Toys inspires. This fun boat that can be used in the bath has a number of fun features that help toddlers explore bathtime and the environment around them. From the fishing pole, fish, captain and little rudder, this cool boat helpstoddlers with imaginative play while getting cleaned up.

6. Step 2 Whisper Ride II

Step2WhisperRideII As the winter starts to fade to warmer spring and summery days, ride-on toys will be all the craze. Step 2 are pros at the ride-on and outdoor toys, and the Whisper Ride II is one of my all time favorites. This push car is perfect for going on strolls in the neighborhood without the restraints of a stroller. Toddlers can pretend to steer while driving their ride, all the while mom or dad navigates with the handle. The Whisper Ride features a seatbelt, small storage compartment and cup holders.

There are so many awesome toys for 1 year olds on Diapers.com, and these are just a small sampling of their selection. Do you have a favorite toddler toy? What makes you and your kid love it so much?

Giveaway

Want to grab a few new toys of your own? We have a $50 gift certificate to Diapers.com up for grabs. Tell me what your favorite toddler toy is and why! Share your comment below.

For even more entries, check out the giveaway below to win a Diapers.com gift certificate. This giveaway will be open for a week, so be sure to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Full disclosure: this is a sponsored post in partnership with Nakturnal, with a gift certificate as a prize. As always, all opinions on NKT are mine. Thank you for supporting The Next Kid Thing.

Mother Nurture: Sweet Treats, Baby Shower Gifts and Goodies

January 18, 2017 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

A few weeks ago, I attended one of my good friend’s baby sprinkle for her second baby. Baby shower gifts are always some of my faves, especially when I get to include fun treats like Mother Nurture Enhanced Waters and Chocolate Truffles.

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Since most of us are moms of multiple kids, it was the perfect reason to get the girls together for a brunch with cocktails! After feasting on our bacon, eggs and quiche, we sat together to “sprinkle” my friend with the group gift. Since this is her second run at this mama thing, she already had most of her much needed gear and goodies. She did, however, request a hard to find bedside bassinet made by Chicco.

And, as hard as it was, it was almost impossible to not over-shower her with pink and purple clothes. While I love shopping and including my favorite swaddles, socks, toys and such, this time around I included some treats for mama in my gift basket. In addition to the fun clothes, I added a bottle or two of Mother Nurture Enhanced Waters and a box of the Chocolate Truffles. In between unveiling my favorite essentials, it’s a must to shower the mama-to-be!

My friend, who watches everything she eats and is a self-proclaimed ‘water snob’, texted me few days after her shower to thank me for the goodies, but to also thank me for introducing her to Mother Nurture waters! She said she is always thirsty and loved the taste of Mother Nurture. LOVE hearing that!

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Mother Nurture products are created with moms in mind by professionals known for creating great tasting food and beverages. Mother Nurture Enhanced Waters boasts natural ingredients such as filtered water, sugar and natural flavors. The waters come in Tropical Splash, Mixed Berry, and Pink Grapefruit. The truffles, which come in Milk Chocolate or Chocolate Raspberry, have natural ingredients, Folic Acid, DHA, calcium and Vitamin D.

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If you’re looking for a tasty or refreshing treat to add to baby shower gifts, be sure to check out Mother Nurture Enhanced Waters and Chocolate Truffles. Mother Nurture Products can be found on Amazon.

Full disclosure: I received samples for review. As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.

Momtrends Holiday Soiree: Celebrating the Holidays in Style

November 23, 2016 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The Holiday season is officially here, and what better way to kick it off than with friends and style. Last week, Momtrends hosted their annual Holiday Soiree, where, together with fellow bloggers and editors, I got a glimpse of some stylish gifts and entertaining ideas.

Nambe offers a beautiful selection of gifts, including place settings, serving ware, jewelry and so much more. As a major silver fan, I fell in love with several of the rings. What I loved about Nambe’s offerings was that they look highend, yet at an attainable price range. I have this fun ring on my wish list!

Arizona Teas shared an array of 100% natural Good Brew teas. I kept going back for the delicious Lemon tea and Peach tea. The fresh taste of these teas are ideal for those who like iced tea all year round.

Avery as a perpetual DIYer, I loved absolutely everything that Avery was showcasing at the Soiree. While I loved the funny emoji labels that use the circle tags, I also love those square labels and gift tags. I plan on doing several DIY projects to showcase here on the blog, so keep your eye open for those fun gems.

Mabel’s Labels is another one of my all-time faves and staples. Mabel’s Labels are the preeminent brand in personalized labels, so it’s no surprise that they have personalized gifts covered too. I’m definitely eyeing those personalized books. My little guy loves Paw Patrol, so we’ll have to ask Santa for those fun books. The stocking stuffer label set are my faves. I decided that I’m going to use those as labels for my nephews this year. Fun and functional!

American Girl Doll has a beautiful lineup of classic dolls. Wellie Wishers are a popular segment that features a diverse cast of sweet dolls. I personally fell in love with the Asian doll, Emerson. Like the other gorgeous Wellie Wishers, Emerson is a lower price point at just $60.

Avon always has a fantastic variety of makeup and other beauty products to pamper yourself or to save for gifts. Aside from Avon’s gorgeous palettes, these wonderful products are a great option for a home-based business. I loved learning how some people sell Avon to offset school expenses and other expenses.

Armigami is a glamorous multi-function shawl that comes in a variety of fabrics and textures. It can be worn as a shawl over the shoulders, a cape, a bolero, a skirt and so much more. This unique shawl would be ideal for nights on the town to traveling to use in lieu of a blanket or coat. I was so fortunate to win the gorgeous black sequined Armigami which I can’t wait to wear to my community holiday party!

I loved learning about Pearhead, a fun gift company that offers so many unique novelties, many of which can be personalized. In addition to baby handprint gift sets, Pearhead offers pet gifts, ornaments, fun signs and even photo prop sets, which we had a blast trying out ourselves!

Had so much fun with friends while scouting the trends for the holidays! Thanks for another awesome soirée @momtrends and crew! #mtholiday

A photo posted by Jen Rabulan-Bertram (@jenrab) onNov 15, 2016 at 7:17pm PST

A big thank you to Nicole and the rest of the Momtrends crew for throwing another fabulous Holiday Soiree! Thank you to the sponsors for the generous gift bag, many of which were mentioned. Keep your eye out for my gift guide which will feature more items from these companies.