Bargain bin: Lands’ End kid’s rain hat

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

We’ve seen rain almost every day in June where we are, but we can only hide inside for so long!   We like to pull on our rainboots, grab our umbrellas and splash in the puddles when the skies don’t look so ominous. In a search for bolstering our rain gear, I ran across this great deal at Lands’ End.

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For days when the umbrella just isn’t enough, this print rain hat for kids at only $6.99 would be a great addition to the rain gear stash. Right now, it looks like all the prints are still available, but at that price, I’d totally get a couple in different sizes to grow with us.  My only complaint?  I wish there were more boy-ish prints, although the gender-neutral and girly prints, like this white fruit print, are too cute to pass up.

Handy Manny’s Superstar Summer Saturdays

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

handy-manny5Yesterday marked the official first day of summer, but this past weekend the gang at Sheetrock Hills started the summer fun with a Quinceañera.   Handy Manny, the popular Disney Channel show that stars Wilmer Valderrama as the voice of handyman Manny Garcia, has a lineup of new summer shows that are set to premiere every Saturday at 8:30 a.m. this summer.

The first Saturday of new Handy Manny shows, dubbed Superstar Summer Saturdays, featured pop star Ashley Parker Angel who needed some help before his concert in the park. Everyone’s favorite cartoon handyman, Manny, and his crew were tasked with helping to fix a flower situation for Señor Ayala’s niece’s Quinceañera after a fan threw a wrench into things.

Going beyond helping popstars, Sheetrock Hills’ go-to guy, Manny and his quirky buddies, the talking tools, have a new set of tasks and adventures to accomplish this summer, including overcoming a blackout, saving the turtles and enjoying a day at the beach. The list of new shows included in Superstar Summer Saturdays are as follows:

Saturday, June 20 (8:30 a.m., ET/PT) – “Danny Starr / Quinceañera”

Saturday, June 27 (8:30 a.m., ET/PT) – “The Good, The Bad, The Handy”

Saturday, July 4 (8:30 a.m., ET/PT) – “Lyle & Leland Lopart / Blackout on the Block”

Saturday, July 11 (8:30 a.m., ET/PT) – “A Day at the Beach / The Party Dress”

Saturday, July 18 (8:30 a.m., ET/PT) – “Singing Salon / Manny’s Makeover”

Saturday, July 25 (8:30 a.m., ET/PT) – “A Night with Abuelito / Canine Case”

Saturday, August 1 (8:30 a.m., ET/PT) – “Saving the Turtles / Abuelito’s Siesta”

Saturday, August 8 (8:30 a.m., ET/PT) – “Picture Perfect / Some Assembly Required”

Disney Netpal netbook for kids unveiled

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Pink for princesses or sleek Disney blue? If you’re on the market for a kiddie PC, Disney just might have a kid-friendly laptop for your kid.

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That’s right. Disney, together with ASUS, have developed the Disney Netpal, which is described as a netbook computer for kids. Because it’s a Disney-themed computer, it features a Disney interface, dubbed the Disney Magic Desktop. It also features 40 parental control options, an 8.9-inch LCD display, Wi-Fi capabilities, Windows XP Home and of course, kid-friendly software featuring Disney characters. Kids can customize their desktops with more some of Disney and Pixar’s most popular franchises, including Cars, Club Penguin, Disney Classic Characters, Disney Fairies, Disney Princess, Vintage Mickey Mouse, Toy Story and WALL-E. The Hannah Montana and JONAS themes would appeal to the tween set.9

With its spill-proof keyboard (I so need one of those!) the Disney Netpal by ASUS was designed to be kid-friendly, in terms of durability and content permissions. The Disney Netpal features ShockShield data protection that is supposed to cushion the blow and data loss when the computer is danced upon or tossed off the couch for giggles.

The Disney Netpal, designed for the the 6-12 age range, will be available in late July in two models with prices based on features. Retailers include Toys”R” Us and Amazon.com, and will retail for $350. Some are calling this kid computer affordable, but I think affordability in this economy has a different definition for everyone. A few weeks ago, I reported about the PeeWee PC, but I’d be interested in comparing the two kid-focused PCs to see which has a better bang for the buck.

giveaway winner

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Congrats to Courtney for winning the Green to Grow giveaway! Courtney, I’ll be in touch later to get your info so I can send this Green to Grow bottle your way!
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Everyone else, please don’t forget the LeapFrog and Yummi Bearsgiveaways! Be on the look out next week for some more great goodies! Apologies for slacking off on the posts yesterday. It was a hectic day over here, but things should be back to normal next week!

Dance, baby! Dance!

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Popular commercials often feature talking babies, walking babies, laughing babies, but moonwalking babies? This might be a first…

It’s obvious Evian loves babies. In fact, 10 years ago, the company had a campaign that parodied the movie “Bathing Beauty” starring about 70 babies performing synchronized swimming to the song “Bye Bye Baby.” This summer, Evian is going the moonwalking baby route.

Want to know what the moonwalking is all about?  Stay tuned to hear more about Evian’s latest ad campaign.

Sweet Shoes: cute and cool

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

If you’re into cute, yet edgy cool for the kid, I’d suggest checking out Sweet Shoes. Ok, so, nevermind that I just scored a pair of $5 lookalike slip on vans for the boy from H&M (seriously, check out their sale going on right now!), I love the look of Sweet Shoes. I spotted Sweet Shoes not too long ago while on the hunt for a pair of casual shoes. I love that all the little boy shoes all seem to be versatile for coordinating for day-to-day and playwear.
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The wave design in navy are perfect to pair with shorts, yet can be worn well with jeans in the cooler weather, too. Add the convenience of Velcro to a super cool design, Sweet Shoes are on our shoe-shopping list! What can I say, I love cool shoes!

YoBaby, yo baby, yo!

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

A favorite among moms, Stonyfield Farm’s YoBaby organic yogurts, is celebrating 10 years and is changing things up a bit.  Stonyfield Farms is adding Zinc and Vitamin D to YoBaby, the organic and all natural yogurt.   Zinc and Vitamin D are associated with boosting immunity and promoting the development of strong bones and teeth.

Not only is YoBaby getting even healthier, but it’s also sprucing up the packaging a bit.

“You’ll also notice our new packaging reflects this ‘new’ YoBaby,” says Stonyfield Farm President and CE-Yo Gary Hirshberg. “Not only are the new graphics and baby images fun and eye-catching, the materials we’ve used on the top of the pack save more than 17,000 pounds of waste a year.”

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I think the new packaging looks sharp and even more appealing to the eco-conscious consumer.

But oh, Stonyfield Farms’ good news doesn’t stop there. Stonyfield Farms will soon roll out YoBaby Meals, which is described as a 3-in-1 combination of protein-packed yogurt + fruit + veggie purée in one cup. They’ll come in Pear & Green Bean, Peach & Squash, Apple & Sweet Potato.  This new addition to their line is said to hit select shelves on July 1.

Stonyfield Farms yogurts has been a longtime favorite in our home not only for the delicious yogurt, but also because we appreciate their environmental practices and social responsibility and the fact that they’ve been pioneers in the whole green movement.  (By the way, Hirsberg’s well-received book, Stirring it Up has been on my to-read list for quite some time.)

Oh, and don’t you just love how the yogurt lids talk to you? Speaking of talking to you, has anyone checked out Food Inc. yet? Stonyfield has been promoting the documentary that examines our food system on their yogurt lids. Be sure to check out Stonyfield Farm’s site to check out a trailer for Food Inc. AND to get a few coupons!

Matthew Broderick guest stars in Cyberchase

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Matthew Broderick will guest star as the voice of Max in a special Father’s Day episode of Cyberchase, premiering June 19 on PBS KIDS GO!   In this episode, Hacker sets out to ruin Father’s Day while Max and the CyberSquad try to stop him.

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If you’re not familiar with Cyberchase, here’s this special episode’s description from PBS:

Cyberchase features a trio of smart, curious kids who outwit the dastardly villain Hacker (Christopher Lloyd) during his mad quest to rule Cyberspace.  With help of their bird pal Digit (Gilbert Gottfried), the CyberSquad uses math and brain power to foil Hacker’s evil schemes. This time, it’s the annual Father’s Day Parade in Tikiville, and Max (guest star Matthew Broderick) is this year’s Cyber Dad of the Year.  Max was once a schoolmate of Hacker’s – and continually bested Hacker in all of their endeavors.  Hacker has decided it’s time to get even. His dastardly scheme is to replace Max with a Max robot and make the robot do awful things during the parade. The CyberSquad must use number patterns to crack a series of coded messages sent by Hacker to save the day in Tikiville.  Matthew Broderick voices both the easy-going, likeable Max and the evil Max robot in this thrilling Father’s Day Cyberchase adventure.

Following the June 19 on-air premiere, the Father’s Day episode with Matthew Broderick will be available for streaming at Cyberchase Online and on the PBS KIDS GO! video player.

SmartyCard: earn while you learn

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The end of the school year for many kids is upon us.  If they’re not already out, then they will be soon!  Ah, the endless days of summer…Some kids go to camp, some go to the beach, some go play outside all day and then, of course, they’ll play video games.  Hours spent playing video games won’t be so bad, especially if SmartyCard is in the equation.

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SmartyCard is quite simple: parents pay for the card (smallest increment is $10), kids participate in interactive online games, quizzes and lessons; as they learn, they earn. The rewards rendered are SmartyCard’s virtual currency that can be redeemed at online destinations like, ClubPenguin, WebKinz, Stardoll, or used toward Wii games or iTunes giftcards.  SmartyCard recognizes the importance of refining reading skills during summer break and has partnered with the Scholastic Summer Challenge, a program that encourages kids to read for fun over summer break.  Every Scholastic Summer Challenge participant who reads and logs a minimum of 20 minutes is offered free SmartyCard points.

Call it learning 2.0:  I love the concept of SmartyCard, and how it leverages technology and video games to encourage educational activities targeted specifically toward tweens.  I know plenty of kids who consider reading a reward in itself, so earning cool rewards will be like extra credit!

Wellness Wednesday: Yummi Bears giveaway

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

I’m bumping this post because I just added some pretty pictures and that they’ll be two winners! see below

yboboxbottleAs this blog continues to grow with leaps and bounds, I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you—my awesome readers, especially my frequent commenters.  All of you rock. And guess what, I’m not the only one who notices your frequent visits and comments on The Next Kid Thing, but so are many of the companies that I’ve been featuring.

I’m sure many of you remember the post from a few weeks ago about the Organic Yummi Bears vitamins by Hero Nutritionals. In case you don’t, let me refresh your memory:

Hero Nutritionals has recently added Yummi Bears Organics to their Yummi Bears Gummy Vitamins product line. The organic option is GMO-Free, as well as allergen, gluten and casein free.  The Yummi Bears Organics are manufactured with natural flavors and colors, too.  The organic product line is gelatin free and vegetarian approved, so parents, rest assured, there are no harmful pesticides, no insecticides, no growth hormones and no antibiotics added to the gummy vitamins.

Well, because today is Wellness Wednesday, I thought I’d announce another great giveaway!  Hero Nutritionals is generously offering a gift basket to one lucky Next Kid Thing reader.  Check out the goodies:

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  • Yummi Bears – Multi Vitamin+ Minerals
  • Yummi Bears – Wholefood (fruits & veggies)
  • Yummi Bears – Omega Fish Free
  • Slice of Life – Multi Vitamin + Lycopene Antioxidant
  • Slice of Life – Energy + B12
  • Slice of Life – Omega 3-6-9 Fish Free
  • With Yummi Bears Organics samples (which aren’t available until August)
  • Plus their mascot Oliver Bear

Seriously, what a great giveaway!

Want to win the giftbasket from Hero Nutritionals?

Visit Yummi Bears and tell me what product you’d like to try for your family.

For additional entries:

1. Tweet about this giveaway

2.  Share this post on any social networking site

3. Sign up to receive my updates via email.

4. Become a fan of NKT on Facebook

5. Tell me the name of the recently launched line of natural gummy vitamins for adults.

6.  Comment on another NKT post and get 2 more entries!

—>**New***Second winner!
Want to win 3 months worth of Yummi Bears?
Tell me your childhood vitamin memories. It can be funny, quirky, crazy…whatever! I’ll pick the second winner at random from the memory entries.

Want to know mine? Uh, when I didn’t like the flavor of my Flintsone Vitamin, I’d stash the uneaten vitamin behind the encyclopedias. (Sorry ’bout that, Mom!)

Please comment for each additional entry and good luck! This contest ends on June 24, 2009.

Want a chance to win a Spa Finder Giftcard or Hero Nutritionals goodies, among other things?  Be sure to sign up for their Sunshine Drawing!

And a big thanks to Hero Nutritionals!
************This contest is closed*************

<br /> The numbers generated by this widget come from RANDOM.ORG’s true random number generator.<br />