Saturday, February 27, 2016

Klikko Vehicles - Educational Building Set With Activities to Learn Math Review

Klikko Vehicles is an Educational Building Toy (137 pieces) with Activities to Learn Math / STEM Concepts.

 

It comes the tray and bag (pictured above) to keep the pieces off the floor, although Mica had the pieces everywhere. He puts his building toys all over. That's no fault of the toy.

The boys were off school on Thursday, and I was off work from Strep Throat. We relaxed a lot. Mica (the well one) said, "I'm bored!" I got our Kilkko Vehicles, and put him in charge of building some vehicles. I told him I just needed a few built, but he was all about it. He built 3, and said afterwards, "Wow that bulldozer looks fun to build to."

The ship was his first construction. He had a little trouble with the tips. The pieces are more wobbly than Legos, snap together, and are harder to come apart. I took them apart. I thought at first I'd possibly break them. No chance of that happening. The pieces are sturdy enough to not break!


He built the rocket second. That one was my favorite!


Mica said, "Look Mom with this one it will help Isaak and I with fractions."


The last one he put together was the subway. I thought it was a submarine. I guess it would be played with either way.


Mica said the little yellow piece in the tip was hard to put in. This was Mica's favorite to build. 

With the Subway it helps the child learn multiplication.


This set would make a great gift. Isaak's getting it for his birthday. Mica (age 10) thinks Isaak (age 7) will need a little assistant with an adult or his brother. 

I love that it helps with early engineering/math + promotes patial and fine motor skills. There are 137 colorful geometric pieces that snap together, and pivot

Colors:
  • Red
  • Yellow
  • Blue
  • Green 
  • Black
Things that can be learned: 
  • Multiplication
  • Fractions
  • Tangram Logic Puzzles
  • Area
  • Following Instructions
Things that can be built:
  • Jeep
  • Car
  • Rocket
  • Ship 
  • Bulldozer
  • Subway

 I really like this set. It's something a little different. I love that there is learning involved.

What kind of vehicle would you like see added to this set? I think I'd pick a jet. 

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free in exchange for a review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Friday, February 26, 2016

Random Tid Bits

  1. This weekend I get to play single mom. Travis is going to Chicago for a dental conference. 

  2. I got Isaak's strep throat. I stayed home on Thursday. The kids do not have school Thursday or Friday. Isaak decided to cuddle with me. I figured why not? he already had strep throat. It's not like he's going to get it from me. He would not stop wiggling around. I got no extra rest. It's a good thing I didn't expect to get extra rest. Somehow I knew that staying home with the boys would be worse for my health. Ha!

  3. My Grandpa was feeling well enough to go home from the hospital earlier this week. His stats were A ok. Now he's been having fevers later this week, and actually had wet accidents. This is not like him. I guess he just had a horrible cold, but my mom is thinking he does in fact have a UTI. He's a pretty with it guy. I'm hoping he's not going downhill fast. He's in his 80s, and he's not getting any younger. So many people on that side of the family live into their 90s. 

  4. They said a warm up was on the way last week. It lasted a day or two. Now we're back gloom and doom, cold weather, and it snowed just enough to look like confetti on the grass. 

  5. Last night I woke up at 3 AM. I heard cats. We have wild cats that roam around. We've even taken baby cats to the Humane Society. I bumped Travis awake and said, "Do you hear that? Is that cats outside, or Mica playing Minecraft?" Right after I said that the noise stopped. The cats sounded like they were coming from a computer game. When we woke up, we asked Mica what he was doing at 3 in the morning? When we told him what we heard he had a smirk on his face. It was either a you caught me smirk, or a you guys are ridiculous smirk. Our boys haven't lied to us for a very long time that we know of. They know that they get in worse trouble when they lie. I wouldn't put it past any kid to lie at times though. No one is perfect. We didn't catch him, so he's innocent until proven guilty.

    Does anyone else think Minecraft has the worst effects?
    I like that kids can build things, but I hate the boxy feel.
Source

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Achoo! Why Pollen Counts - A Book Review

I love children's books! Once upon a time I got in trouble when I was in third or fourth grade because I was trying to check out children's books instead of chapter books. The librarian scolded me. I liked the pictures. Chapter books were limited with illustrations. Still to this day I go to the children's book section first when I enter a bookstore, or library.

I adore the children's book I got called Achoo! Why Pollen Counts By Sheenen Bersani to review. 


An added perk was getting a special card from the author Shennen Bersani!



Plus the author signed it to my nephew Edison. He is going to get this book very soon.

What Achoo! Why Pollen Counts is about:

A baby bear is allergic to pollen. The grass is covered with it. The pollen makes baby bear sneeze, itch, and his eyes get watery.

The story covers what pollen is, how we need it, and what animals eat it to help them survive.


What I like about Achoo! Why Pollen Counts:

I've always been an allergy/asthma sufferer. This book relates to me. I know my nephew Edison is getting the book, but I also know his family is filled with allergy sufferers as well. It takes a complex topic, and makes it understandable to anyone.

I like the writing, and the cute illustrations. One thing that is different about this book compared to others is that it has 4 pages of learning activities in the back for creative minds:

  • Ah-Achoo! Understanding Alleriges
  • Flower Parts
  • The Pollination Process
  • Pollinator Matching
  • Bees: The Great Pollinators
You can look for more activities online at www.ArbordalePublishing.com


Best for ages 4-7. Isaak who is almost 8 enjoyed it. I think the illustrations are great for younger. Kids love to be read to. They may not be able to do the activities in the back when they are younger than 4, but they still will enjoy this story!


Keywords: adaptations, basic needs, pollen, allergies, plant parts, plant life cycle, pollinators, pollination, bees 

Animals in the book: black bear, bear, honeybee, ladybug, snow owl, spider, vole, zebra butterfly 

Special Thanks:  Dr. Alan Graham, Curator of Paleobotany & Palynology at Missouri Botanical Garden's Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development, for reviewing the accuracy of the information in this book.

Buy Achoo! Why Pollen Counts! It comes in:
  • Hardcover: $17.95
  • Paperback: $9.95
  • Spanish Paperback: $9.95
  • EBook $6.95
  • Spanish EBook: $6.95
Check out more books from Arbordale Publishing
Get Achoo! Why Pollen Counts on Amazon
Like Achoo! Why Pollen Counts on facebook
Visit Sheenen Bersani - the author's website
Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free in exchange for a review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Bad Dreams

Isaak told me when he woke up on Friday that his throat hurt. He sometimes does that, then will go on throughout the day like nothing is wrong. I ask myself: Is it allergies? Is it a cold? Is it something more? Once he gets up and moving he's usually just fine.

Towards the end of the day on Friday Isaak didn't look very good. When I got home he was extra grumpy. Travis said, "Isaak stop milking it. Why do you have to act this way when Mom gets home?" He was acting that way because he was starting to spike a fever.

On Saturday he lost his fever, but slept much of the day. I thought about taking him in Saturday morning, but his fever was gone.

On Sunday he woke up his chipper self.

On Monday he woke up saying, "I'm totally normal. I don't feel sick at all." We sent him to school. Then I got a call saying, "Isaak's in the nurses office. He has a fever of 101.3." I went to pick him up, and put a call into the doctor. It took them an hour to get back to me. That's when I know they are busy. We couldn't get in until 4:50. Their office was buzzing with sickness.


Isaak's favorites when he's sick:

  • Drinking JELL-O juice - JELL-O not set up to drink
  • I usually add a vitamin C packet to his JELL-O Juice and additional water. 
  • Watching movies
  • Laying on the couch
  • He didn't mind reading
An amazing thing happened when he was sick. Isaak got through his first long book, The 39 Story Treehouse. He's read a lot of books about the thickness of Flat Stanley. This book was 344 pages.


Isaak tested positive at the doctor's office for strep throat. There have been a lot of sicknesses around my work to.

I love the boy's doctor. As soon as he walked in he checked out Mica just to be sure. Then he said, "If Mica shows any signs just call us, and I'll write a script in. There's no need to come all the out here again."

The scary thing was when Isaak would wake up from bad dreams when he had a fever.

Scary Dream 1:

"Oh shit! Oh Shit! Oh shit!" Over and over again. "Mom stop making me climb the walls! I don't want to go on the ceiling!" All while his boiling hot body was trying to slither out of my hands.

I wasn't about to have the, "You shouldn't cuss like that Isaak." conversation.

Scary Dream 2: 

"Oh my God! Oh my God" Over and over again. "They are trying to bite me! Stop the alligators!" I held him, while Travis got his Motrin. Isaak, "Mom can't you see them. The alligators are on the ceiling!"

Are there any bad sicknesses floating around where you live?

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

WW: The Omaha Children's Museum

On Sunday the boys participated in a commercial for Parent Savvy. It was to showcase a new superhero display at The Omaha Children's Museum. I only wish I knew that our youngest Isaak had Strep Throat. Had I known, I won't have let him participate.

When we were waiting on the sidelines for the commercial takes.


Superman is one of my favorite superheroes. Who is your favorite?


Mica being Mica. Isaak was running around, not holding still.


Some superheroes behind glass.


Mica looking tougher than he is.



 

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The opinions on this blog are my personal take on products and topics relating to motherhood. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me.

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