Kids Bowl Free All Summer Long!

July 13, 2010 By

I just learned that our local bowling alley participates in the kidsbowlfree.com Kids Bowl Free All Summer Long program.

All I had to do was go online to http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/, select my state from the hyperlinked map, and find the bowling alley closest to me.  Then, I registered and entered my kids names.  After I registered, the site sent me two emails.  The first was a welcome email and had my registration information.  The second email contained a link, which I had to click to confirm my subscription to the service.

Now, http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/ will send me an email every Sunday morning that contains a link to my coupons.

They also offer you the option to purchase a Family Pass. The Family Pass was created to allow for adult family members to enjoy bowling throughout the summer as well. The Family Pass starts from $24.95 and includes 2 GAMES PER PERSON PER DAY. The Family Pass covers up to 4 adult family members. You may have 1, 2, 3, or 4 adults on the family pass.

Our MomsClub is taking the kiddos bowling on Thursday, so I can’t wait to see how my kids enjoy it!  Our bowling alley also has a $2.99 exclusive “Kids Club” meal is available during promotional time.

There is also a site for our Canadian friends, where you can learn if your local bowling alley participates in this fun program…

http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/bowlcanada.php

Kids Bowl Free is on Facebook as well.

Is there a participating bowling alley near you?

Be blessed,

Virginia

Lady V dZine

Filed Under: Check This Out Tagged With: , ,

Tips to Avoid the Summer Reading Slump

July 11, 2010 By

*This post is sponsored by the Role Mommy Writer’s Network.9b7ac7de-ec5f-4524-a087-7556ec0ec3ea.jpeg

Guest contributor and MobiStories.com producer Wendy Toone, offers great tips this week on how your kids can avoid brain drain when they’re out of school.

It’s Summertime! Yipppee!

Time for swimming, trips to the beach, camping, and all sorts of “no more school” activities. However, many kids suffer from a backward slide in their reading development when reading activities wane over the summer months. Students can lose as much as three month’s worth of reading level during the school break. Research shows that younger elementary school students rarely make up deficits in reading once they fall behind.

Conversely, students who read during the summer could end up three months ahead, too. Children will benefit more if their reading activities are fun and not looked upon as ‘homework.’ While reading books is important, games that use letter-recognition, alphabetizing, syllable, rhyming and rhythm skills can keep kids’ reading skills sharp without cracking open a book. If you have a road trip or plane excursion planned, use that travel time wisely.

Here are some games to try when traveling on summer vacations:

Create a New Ending: Exercise their storytelling skills by rewriting their favorite story or a book they just finished…’It could also have ended like this….’

Write That Tune Remember the game show “Name That Tune”? Pick a familiar song and rewrite the lyrics….a topic such as “gardening” sung to the tune of “Frere Jacques” ?? This exercise works on rhyming, syllable recognition, creativity, and can expand vocabulary.

Kids get carsick reading but can watch movies on DVD? Try digital books. Amazon’s Kindle is amazing for Young Adult and adult digibooks, but they don’t have children’s titles. Only publishers such as MobiStories.com provide children’s picture books in color, narrated and ready for on-the-go reading practice. Order from digital publishers that offer downloads to your mobile devices for convenience. Car Games: Animal ABC – 2 ways to play…either start w/ “A” and name as many animals (aardvark, alligator, antelope) as you can, or take turns (Cindy does “B”, Joey has “C”). Great for young readers (K – 2nd grade). Can make it more challenging by starting the next animal’s beginning letter w/ previous animal’s ending letter, i.e. dog -> goose-> elephant.

Road sign Roundup – Same idea, but this time call out words seen alongside the road in alpha order: billboards, safety signs, signs of businesses being passed. Good for intermediate readers (2nd – 5th grade).

Pimp My Plate – Using letters found on license plates, create what the personalized plate meaning would be (phrase, name of their business, whatever you can come up with). Can work on alliteration, homophones and creativity. Good one for advanced/older readers who need something more challenging.

Where Do I Turn – This one isn’t really a game, but why not let the kids pass a little time reading the map and becoming the navigator. You trust them, right??

TrueText – If they’ve got the phone and you have unlimited texting, you could institute a ‘must spell it correctly – no text jargon’ rule for a portion of (or the whole?) trip. Of course, no texting to or from the driver, please. So whether you’re traveling by car, plane, train, or sticking around for a “staycation,” remember to incorporate reading activities into your children’s summer schedules. Read to them, read with them, and give them plenty of encouragement to keep their reading skills from sliding in the wrong direction.

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Happy reading!! Wendy Toone is a child expert, having owned and operated a leading children’s fitness center and now produces MobiStories, Digital Books for KidsTM. She is a cableAce-award winning television producer and has worked on hundreds of television commercials as a Production Manager after spending a decade onstage as a professional dancer. Wendy’s two children have been inspirational in the creation of MobiStories.

To download a free digital book for your PC visit MobiStories.com, click on Summer (in the Ages 2 – 4 category) add it to the cart and Michelle Obama then enter the code SUM0710 in the Coupon Code Box.

Be blessed,

Virginia

Lady V dZine

*This post is sponsored by the Role Mommy Writer’s Network.

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: , , ,

Wow Wow Wubbzy Escape from Dino Island DVD Review

July 2, 2010 By

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Do you have any Wow! Wow! Wubby fans in your home?

Prior to reviewing Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! Goes Green, I had only seen snippets of Wubbzy while visiting my sister and her kids.

Now, my kids adore Wow! Wow! Wubbzy, and my niece is absolutely Wowed by Wubbzy!

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! hatched a brand new DVD called Escape from Dino Island, and thanks to the Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! marketing team, we were able to review it.

About the product…

This din-amic and fun filled quest takes place in a land filled with dinosaurs and all of the Wuzzleburg friends join in on the adventure.  Wubbzy, the cute and quirky character with the bendy tail, takes viewers on a dinomite adventure on this new DVD, and preschoolers will love watching Wubbzy explore the jungle, swing from vites, and discover new creatures.

The dinosaur themed DVD is not prehistoric in the lessons it teaches, though.  Important lessons about honesty, teamwork, and more are built right into this fun tale.  Wubbzy and his pals, Widget, Walden, and Daisy go for an adventure on Widget’s Wavy Wheeler 3000 and travel to the mysterious land of Dino Island, where they discover the Wazumboo Jungle and tame a Doodleberry patch that has gone wow, wow wild!  The fun-filled collection of larger-than-life episodes will have young viewers stomping, singing, dancing and learning – Wubbzy-style!

To help celebrate the release of “Escape From Dino Island,” the DVD launch will be supported by two exciting consumer promotion initiatives.  From June through December 2010, consumers who purchase one box of Minute® Rice and any Wubbzy DVD will be entitled to receive a Wubbzy toy free with a nominal S&H fee.  In addition, from May through September 2010, consumers can purchase a Wubbzy DVD and any package of Joy Cone Company ice cream cones to receive two Wubbzy Scholastic books, A Tail of Tails (SRP $4.99) and Special Delivery (SRP $3.99) with a $2.00 S&H fee.

Also a star on the Internet, Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! remains the top game for the past two years on Nick Jr. ®’s award-winning website (www.nickjr.com) and boasts the first-ever video podcasts for preschoolers at www.wubbzy.com.

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! has been a hit with young viewers and their families since its 2006 TV premiere on Nickelodeon®, and the show currently airs daily on Nick Jr. ® Wubbzy is a fun, lovable, curious little guy who just likes to play, play, play with his friends in the eye-popping town of Wuzzleburg.  The show keeps kids laughing!

What I thought…

I like the Wubbzy! characters and the brightly colored animations.  I appreciate that the shows are not just for entertainment purposes, and do carry an underlying life lesson.  I love that my kids are entertained by Wubbzy! and his pals.

What I would change…

I wouldn’t change a thing about Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! Escape from Dino Island.

How I rate it…

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Lady V dZine gives Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! Escape from Dino Island a dino-mite five out of five hearts.

Where you can buy it…

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! Escape from Dino Island is  available on Amazon at at many fine local retailers.

Be blessed!

Virginia

Lady V dZine

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Firefly Fun and Buggy Buddies from Sesame Street

June 23, 2010 By

prizeypick

As I mentioned in a prior post, My son, Mister, is a huge Elmo fan.  This furry red monster with silly laugh and fun filled antics drops by our house daily to entertain and teach my kids.  In the latest DVD, Firefly Fun and Buggy Buddies, Elmo and many of his friends learn, and sing, about various insects.  Oscar and his pet worm, Slimey, go to adopt a pet bug for Slimey.  Their song Big Bug Hug is too cute.

About the product…

Excerpted from press release…

Enlarge

Firefly Fun and Buggy Buddies features a compilation of fun stories about bugs with special appearances by Jenny McCarthy and Molly Shannon

The Firefly Fun and Buggy Buddies DVD is a compilation of three exciting and educational stories for children ages two through five. In one story, join Telly and Baby Bear as they cheer up a sad firefly. In another segment, Nat the shelter worker at the Bug-a-Wee Bug Shelter, played by actress Molly Shannon, helps Oscar’s pet worm, Slimey, choose the perfect pet bug! Firefly Fun and Buggy Buddies also features an episode from Elmo’s World all about bugs in which actress Jenny McCarthy gives an educational and fun lesson about the word “insect.” Also watch as Sesame Street’s own resident Twiddlebugs identifies a caterpillar.

Released: June 1, 2010
Order Due Date: April 27, 2010
Languages: English/Spanish subtitles
Audio: Dolby Surround Stereo
Color / Closed Captioned
Run Time: Approx 48 minutes
Rating: NR
Firefly Fun and Buggy Buddies
Price: $14.98/ No MAP (need to confirm)
UPC: TBC

About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization that revolutionized children’s television programming with the landmark Sesame Street. The Workshop produces local Sesame Street programs, seen in over 140 countries, and other acclaimed shows to help bridge the literacy gap including The Electric Company and Pinky Dinky Doo. Beyond television, the Workshop produces content for multiple media platforms on a wide range of issues including literacy, health and military deployment. Initiatives meet specific needs to help young children and families develop critical skills, acquire healthy habits and build emotional strength to prepare them for lifelong learning. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org.

About Warner Home Video
With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, a division of the Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video’s film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video and New Line Home Entertainment.

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment’s home video, digital distribution, interactive entertainment/videogames, direct-to-DVD production, technical operations and anti-piracy businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. WBHEG is responsible for the global distribution of content through DVD, electronic sell-through and VOD, and delivery of theatrical content to wireless and online channels, and is also a significant worldwide publisher for both internal and third party videogame titles.

What I thought…

The thing I love about Sesame Workshop DVD’s is that they teach without the kids realizing they are being taught.  As we sat outside during the evening recently, a firefly flew by and lit up.  Mister was so excited because he saw a firefly, and of course my husband and I had to chuckle and sing “fly little firefly fly…”

What I would change…

Firefly Fun and Buggy Buddies is my favorite Elmo DVD yet.  I wouldn’t change anything.

How I rate it…

Lady V dZine rates My Privates are Private a 5 out of 5 hearts

Lady V dZine rates Firefly Fun and Buggy Buddies 5 out of 5 hearts.

Where you can buy it…

Firefly Fun and Buggy Buddies is available on Amazon and is currently on sale!

Win It…

One lucky Lady V dZine reader will receive Firefly Fun and Buggy Buddies!

Mandatory Entry: Simply leave a comment telling me who the DVD would be for and who your favorite character is.

***Please note- this must be done before any bonus entries will count***

Contest Specific Bonus Entries…

  • 1 bonus entry- Visit Sesame Street and comment back telling me something you learned.
  • 1 bonus entry- If you are a fan of Sesame Street on Facebook, comment on their wall that you visited from http://thatbaldchick.com and comment back here with a link to your share.
  • 1 bonus entry- If you follow Sesame Street on Twitter, tweet them and let them know that you are visiting from @ladyvdzine and comment back here with your tweet link.
  • 1 bonus entry- If you use the Sesame Street Feel-O-Matic Facebook Application to share your mood with others, comment with your screen name so I can see if you are happy or sad.
  • 1 bonus entry- If you like Elmo of Facebook comment on his wall that you visited from http://thatbaldchick.com and comment back here with a link to your share.
  • 1 bonus entry- If you like the Facebook fan pages for other Sesame Street characters (see side bar of Sesame Street Fan Page for Favorite Pages), such as Big Bird, Zoe, Cookie Monster, etc,  comment on their wall that you visited from http://thatbaldchick.com and comment back here with a link to your share.

Additional Bonus Entries…

  • 1 bonus entry- Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect (see right side bar) and comment with your profile name.
  • 1 bonus entry- If you are a fan of my =”http://www.facebook.com/thatbaldchick/105927806110770″>page on Facebook,  let me know in the comments for an extra entry in each contest (please leave your screen name) .
  • 1 bonus entry- If you follow me on Twitter, let me know in the comments for an extra entry in each contest  (please leave your Twitter profile name).
  • 1 bonus entry- Tweet this contest, including @ladyvdzine and leave your tweet link (may be done once per day).  You may also include the hashtag #contests or #giveaways if desired.
  • 1 bonus entry- Follow my blog via Networked Blogs (see right sidebar) and let me know your username.
  • 1 bonus entry- Subscribe to my blog via e-mail and leave a comment with the address you signed up for.  To avoid spam bots, please use the yourname[at]emailserver[dot]com format for your address.
  • 1 bonus entry- Subscribe to my blog via RSS and leave a comment with the address you signed up for.  To avoid spam bots, please use the yourname[at]emailserver[dot]com format for your address.
  • 1 bonus entry- for each of my other current giveaways that you enter.
  • 1 bonus entry- For each of my non-giveaway posts that you leave a RELEVANT comment on.  Comment back with the post title or link to receive credit.
  • 1 bonus entry- E-mail this contest post to at least three friend and CC me as virginia[at]ladyvdzine[dot]com then comment back saying that you did.
  • 1 bonus entry- Share the contest post on your Facebook wall and comment back with a link to the share (may be done once).
  • 3 bonus entries- Grab my blog button (right side bar) and display it on your blog.  Leave three separate comments including a link to your blog where I can find the button.
  • 10 bonus entries- Blog about the contest, including a link back to the contest post.  Leave ten separate comments including a direct link to your blog post (not your home page).

Be sure to visit my Contest Rules and Bonus Entry Options for even more additional entry options.

Be blessed,

Virginia

Lady V dZine

Contest open to the US.  Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. CST on 07/08/2010.  Winner will be selected via random.org.  Winner will be notified by email and will have 72 hours to respond with mailing address.  If no response is received from the winning entrant, a new winner will be selected.FTC Compliant Disclosure- The marketing team for Warner Home Video graciously provided me with a copy of Firefly Fun and Buggy Buddies to facilitate my review and is providing the copy for the contest winner.  No other compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% my own and are based upon my experience.  Your experience may differ.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Comcast: Helping you entertain, save, and be safe

June 13, 2010 By

On Thursday, June 10, I had the opportunity to participate in a live webcast conversation about family entertainment during the summer, protecting your family online, saving money and a new interactive app, from Comcast, to manage your entertainment experience.  The webcast was put on by Comcast and hosted by Kelly Vrooman, from The Sunny Side Up Show.  Mister loves Kelly and Chica, so I was excited to see what would be discussed.

The cool part was that we had the opportunity to tweet questions and some of those questions were answered during the webcast.

You can view the webcast here:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

I was excited to hear about Comcast’s Cyber Summer Safety Challenge.  The Cyber Summer Safety Challenge for Kids & Teens includes links to download both forms. And be sure to check out http://security.comcast.net/ for lots of great information.

Click here to download the Summer Fun On Demand calendar. And visit this website to find out more about Parental Controls.

Comcast is looking to host more of these webcast conversations and they want to know what entertainment and technology topics interest my readers (yep—that’s you).  So, if you have any questions about Comcast, entertainment, or technology, please leave me a comment and I will compile a list to send over.

Be blessed,

Virginia

Lady V dZine

Filed Under: Entertainment Tagged With: , , ,
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