Can you believe it? We’re officially heading towards Christmas and the end of 2013! What an amazing year it’s been. I’m thrilled to bits to have been a Fisher-Price Play Ambassador this year. I am so grateful that there are companies who believe in the power of play, people who understand that play matters.

For the little bubbas amongst us, who are no doubt, itching to play, we’re hosting a very special Fisher-Price Christmas giveaway. Enter this super easy and fun giveaway to win a Fisher-Price Rainforest Friends Jumperoo and a Laugh & Learn Story Surprise Puppy.

Miss K test drove both these toys and simply loves them.

The Rainforest Friends Jumperoo is a jumper packed with fun, bright toys, lights and music. Babies can rotate full circle to explore all the different toys, and jump around safely – so much fun for active babies. It’s also adjustable – very handy as babies grow so quickly.

Once I had assembled the Jumperoo, (which was surprisingly easy), Miss K couldn’t wait to get in for a play. She then refused to get out of the Jumperoo for quite some time, which was a problem because we had to go to our swimming lesson. (She was not a happy little chook in the car on the way to the pool).

The Laugh & Learn Story Surprise Puppy sings songs, tells stories & has chatty phrases. I kid you not, Miss K was laughing, dancing and singing with this toy.

When she first saw how the puppy rocked around, sometimes coming close to falling over flat on his back or on his face, she could not stop laughing. She thought it was the most hilarious toy ever.

The puppy reacts to being rocked or pushed, as well as having its feet pressed. With some toys, you really have to dig around for those buttons and push them hard to get a reaction from the toy. This is not that sort of toy. It’s really easy for kids to play with and use.

For your chance to win a Fisher-Price Rainforest Friends Jumperoo and a Laugh & Learn Story Surprise Puppy, leave a comment on this post sharing:

What present has made your child overjoyed?

This is a game of skill and entries will be judged based on creativity and originality. Open to Australian residents only. Entries close Thursday 5th December, 2013.

The post Fisher-Price Christmas Giveaway by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.

What do you do when brand new toys land in your living room? Miss K has learnt that she must jostle a bit with her three older brothers, or she’ll never get a turn. That said, her brothers are quite gentle with her when she makes herself heard, (although they aren’t quite so nice with each other!).

As part of our Fisher-Price Play Ambassadorship, we’re super, super excited to be hosting a special Fisher-Price giveaway for the recently released Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car and also a Laugh & Learn Apptivity Storybook Reader.

Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car

The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car is such great fun.

There are interactive lights and sounds, complete with a car radio.

Then there are the doors; one side has a shape puzzle, the other a ball ramp, (now there’s an idea for family cars!). 

Such a fun toy to sit in and explore, pretend and play. So fun that Miss K brought her own cushion to make herself extra comfy during her play.

Not only did Miss K enjoy playing with it, her three older brothers wanted to play too, at the exact same time as each other, of course.

Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Apptivity Storybook Reader

The Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Apptivity Storybook Reader fits an iPhone & iPod devices.

It opens and closes like a book and there are free interactive story apps, with adorable animations, music and audio prompts. A great way for babies and toddlers to be introduced to interactive stories on technological devices.

There are two reasons why I love it.

Firstly, it’s really sturdy, and keeps my phone clean. I can’t begin to tell you the number of times I have to clean my phone because there are loads of little (sticky) finger prints all over it. Now Miss K can play with it, and my phone screen stays clean.

The second thing I absolutely love about it, is the plastic covering over the home button when I place my iPhone or iPod in there. It means Miss K can’t keep pressing the home button and accessing other apps, or activating Siri. Instead, she can play apps like the Laugh & Learn Shapes & Colors Music Show for Baby App and engage with it longer, because she isn’t constantly bring brought back to my home screen, because she pressed the home button.

Fisher-Price Giveaway: 

For a chance to win a Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car and also a Laugh & Learn Apptivity Storybook Reader, leave a comment on this post sharing:

What do your kids do when they receive brand new toys?

This is a game of skill and entries will be judged based on creativity and originality. Open to Australian residents only. Entries close Thursday 14th November, 2013.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment; I’d love to hear from you. If you are new here, you might like to receive updates direct to your email. We have many fun ideas to share.

The post Fisher-Price Review & Giveaway by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.

I love being a Fisher-Price Play Ambassador because Fisher-Price understands the importance of parenting communities. To celebrate my Fisher-Price Play Ambassadorship, we’re hosting a special Fisher-Price giveaway. Read on for a chance to win!

Here are a few wonderful Fisher-Price products our family has been loving lately:

Grow-With-Me High Chair + Rock-A-Stack + Chatter Phone

Grow-With-Me High Chair

If only this Grow-With-Me high chair was around when N&M were babies. It would have saved us from a few unnecessary high-chair/booster chair purchases. I love this Grow-With-Me High Chair because firstly, it’s so easy to clean! There aren’t any weird nook and crannies that you have to look out for when you wipe down the chair after a particularly messy eating session. The other absolutely awesome thing I love about this chair is that it easily converts from a high chair to a toddler chair. So, this is the only chair you’ll need from the time they start eating solids, till they are old enough to sit at the dining table with you on a chair.

Rock-A-Stack

So simple and so brilliant. That’s why every child has probably at some time, played with this toy. Stack it, rock it, learn colours and size, shake it, hold it, drool on it. Mr E (3yo) still enjoys playing with this. We’ve already had some learn-to-share opportunities between Miss K and him over the rock-a-stack. So simple and so brilliant. Whoever thought of this toy is a genius.

Chatter Phone

That face, the old-fashioned dial (remember when all phones had those?!) and a string so you can pull it along and make it mobile. Such an irreplaceable toy. I love seeing my kids pretend play with this chatter phone. Their conversations always make me smile or giggle.

For a chance to win a Grow-With-Me High Chair, a Rock-A-Stack and a Chatter Phone, leave a comment on this post sharing:

What makes your bubba giggle?

This is a game of skill and entries will be judged based on creativity and originality. Open to Australian residents only. Entries close Friday 27th September, 2013.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment; I’d love to hear from you. If you are new here, you might like to receive updates direct to your email. We have many fun ideas to share.

The post Fisher-Price Review and Giveaway by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.

When you’re in an airplane and those oxygen masks come down, you have to first put on your own mask, before you put the mask on your child. Such a simple and practical point that flows onto parenting in general, but oh – how I need to be reminded so often!

We, as parents need to make sure that we’re doing okay first, before we can help our kids. As parents, the issue of how we socialize our kids is often thought about – but what about us? To grow and flourish as people, parents need friendship and community too.

Friends lift us up and make us more than what we can be. When times are tough, friends remind us that we are treasured; they tell us that our lives are important for their lives.

Although communities may not always be friendly, I think friendship and community are closely related. It is within a community that we find friends. It is within communities and friendships that we share our daily lives. We share those things that make us sing and we share those moments that make us cry. We share the mundane everyday and we share the extraordinary events. In learning that we are a gift for our friends and communities, and that they are also gifts to us; we become more human.

I am thrilled to announce that I am a Fisher-Price Play Ambassador because Fisher-Price understands the importance of parenting communities. Fisher-Price understands that parents run through the whole gamut of dramatic emotions from grief to joy, sometimes within the tiny space of a few seconds! Fisher-Price understands that parents need friends and communities to grow and flourish; so that they can help their children grow and flourish.

I’m partnering with Fisher-Price to share openly about parenting. Over the next few months, I’ll also be hosting some fun Fisher-Price giveaways, just for Lessons Learnt Journal readers, so keep watching this space.

Let’s start some conversations. What or who has helped you grow and flourish?

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment; I’d love to hear from you. If you are new here, you might like to receive updates direct to your email. We have many fun ideas to share.

The post Parents Need Friends & Communities by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.