The Traveling Sisterhood: November 2013

Safari Ltd: Discover the Frontiers of Your Imagination! Toy #Giveaway

My kiddos were so excited to receive some new animals in the mail from Safari Ltd today!
They chose to review the Glow-in-the-dark Salamander, the Gray Squirrel, the Eastern Cottontail Rabbit Baby, and the Glow-in-the-dark Snow Dragon.  The toys are so unique and marvelously made!  They would, of course, make amazing stocking stuffers!  My kiddos love animals and are currently playing outside, creating natural habitats for their new critters.


Safari Ltd Glow-in-the-dark Salamander
What can I say?!  She's ALWAYS loved lizards and salamanders!

My kiddos also have some other very cool toys from Safari Ltd: a Sea Otter, Bearded Dragon and an Eastern Chipmunk.  All of the animals are very lifelike, as you can see in the photos below and above!  We've learned a lot just by playing with them, reading about their habitats and eating habits, and Googling photos of them. 

Along with the animal toys, Safari Ltd also sent us a pocket-sized full-color catalog.  My daughters were amazed at how many animals are available!  They're already deciding which ones they want to buy next with their "own money".  I'm pretty certain that if there's an animal you can think of, Safari Ltd. makes it.  Not only do they make replicas of actual animals, but they also make historical figures, mythical creatures, and extinct animals.  So amazing!



GIVEAWAY! 
Safari Ltd has offered to give one of my readers their choice of replica toy and if you're following them on at least one of their social media sites, you will get another surprise toyEnter below by Dec 2nd at 11pm anyone's time.   

Be sure and enter our many other Cyber Monday Giveaways! Low entries and lots of winners!

You Can Find Safari Ltd. On:

So tell me... which Safari Ltd. toy do you want most for your kiddos?  Just type any animal in the searchbox and it's bound to pop right up!

Special thanks to the awesome people at Safari Ltd. for providing us with these toys to review!
 

Samson's Classroom Reading Program Fun

Samson's Classroom is a literacy focused software program designed for grades K-5 and my 2nd grade daughters love it!  There are three units: sight words, spelling, and reading comprehension. What I really like about it is that I can completely customize it to match our book curriculum.  I use my own spelling lists for the "spelling" section and then Samson's Classroom uses those words in the three different spelling games my children play to learn that weeks spelling list.  They're doing so much better on their spelling and they're having lots of fun with their practice!  

With a family account (which is what one of my reader's will win), each child gets their own log-in and password.  When you log on as the parent/teacher, you're able track their individual progress, change their usernames/passwords, and make spelling lists available to them.  I've tried a lot of on-line programs for my kiddos and this is by far the one that gives me the most control over what my kiddos are learning.  And it's the most affordable one, too!  You just pay a one-time fee and it's yours--none of that month to month billing that so many other programs stick you with.  One-time payments: definitely preferable!

My readers can enter the code TSH for $20 off at checkout until January 1st of the new year--that makes it just $10 for a single account or $20 for a family account (up to four students).  It's a truly amazing deal!  The code can be used on more than one purchase if any of you are interested in buying accounts as Christmas gifts.  Samson's Classroom would make a great gift for homeschooling children, or for friends, nieces, nephews, or any child in your life!  What better gift than the gift of education?! 




For more fun screenshots and to stay up to date, check out:

Special thanks to the wonderful people at Samson's Classroom for providing us with these products to review!

New Lottie Dolls, The Fashionable Answer for Smart Girls! #Giveaway



The Lottie dolls are really wonderful!  They're much different than Barbie dolls and look simply like little girls.  They even stand on their own two feet, which is something that can't be said for most fashion dolls.  Each Lottie doll has a unique personality so there's a Lottie doll to fit every girl.  My daughters and I reviewed Pirate Queen Lottie.  We love History and this seemed like a fun way to incorporate History class into play.  Pirate Queen Lottie pretending to be a real "pirate", Grace O'malley, an Irish lass who sailed the seas hundreds of years ago and was an incredible navigator. Grace met Queen Elizabeth of England, which is what my daughter is acting out in the picture below.

There are also a Butterfly Protector Lottie, who may inspire a love for nature, experiments and science; Kawaii Karate Lottie, to inspire a strong mind and a strong body; and Robot Girl Lottie, who is a whiz at the science fair. An interest in robotics could happen by playing with this adorable toy! There are lots of fun accessory sets, too.  We chose to review Lottie's pet, Pandora the Persian Cat (my daughters love cats so Lottie just had to have one!)  You can see all of the Lottie Dolls and Accessory Sets here.  


Grace O'Malley meeting the Queen of England

GIVEAWAY
One of my readers will win her choice of Lottie doll and additional outfit based upon availability.  Enter below by  Monday November 25th at 11 pm anyone's time.  Also be sure and check out all the other giveaways featured in our Christmas Gift Giveaway Extravaganza
 
You Can Find Lottie Dolls On

Which Lottie Doll and Accessory Set will you choose if you win? 

Special thanks to the wonderful people at Lottie and KidStuff PR for providing us with this review and giveaway opportunity!