Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Dive into 2014 with the Octonauts! (Giveaway!)

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Special thanks to NCircle Entertainment for providing copies of Here Come the Octonauts for Review and Giveaway. All opinions expressed here are my own, as always. 

here come the octonauts

Sound the Octo-alert! Welcome to 2014, friends! It’s a new year, just brimming with the possibilities of new adventures. If you’ve got little ones who love the Octonauts, then get ready for some serious fun in the Gup-B, because Here Come the Octonauts is available for the very first time on DVD starting January 7th. Woo hoo! You can pick it up at Walmart and many other retailers and grocery stores nationwide.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting the Octonauts crew, let me introduce you!

octonauts

(image source: Cartoonbrew.com)

KWAZII KITTEN

A daredevil orange kitten with a mysterious pirate past. He loves excitement and travelling to exotic places.

CAPTAIN BARNACLES BEAR

A brave polar bear extraordinaire and the leader of the Octonauts crew. He’s always the first to rush in and help whenever there’s a problem.

PESO PENGUIN

PESO PENGUIN is the medic for the team. He’s an expert at bandaging and always carries his medical kit with him in case of emergencies. He’s not too fond of scary things, but if a creature is hurt or in danger, he can be the bravest Octonaut of all!

These are just a few of the delightful creatures you will find in this fun underwater adventure. We learned about Octonauts last January, and they have become such a hit with my kids that they made the “best of the best” list for 2013!

You can find Octonauts on weekday mornings on the Disney Channel’s Junior block. But if you are like me and don’t have cable, then the DVD is definitely the way to go! The series has been nominated for an International EMMY Award, and has received nominations for Best Animate Preschool Show in 2011 and 2013.

To get the Octonauts party started, check out some of these great free activities you can print or do online!

 Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Here Come the Octonauts on DVD!

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

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Dress Up Idea: Take it Outside

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If you combined being outside with playing dress up, you’d have, in mind of my daughter, the most perfect day possible. Chloe’s Closet, a delightful television program that features a little girl who discovers magical new worlds while playing dress up, combines these two elements. Check out the newest video from the program called Chloe’s Closet: Outdoor Explorer. In the DVD, many fun things happen, including investigating the cause of a dry river, travel to the jungle, and making things grow.

Chloe’s Closet has provided fun entertainment for my daughter, but more importantly, it has inspired dress up ideas that get us playing outside.

Chloe's Closet Outdoor Explorer

Chloe’s Closet: Outdoor Explorer is a terrific video choice as we head into Spring and then Summer and need to stretch our imaginations for more creative play and dress up ideas. Amazon has it value priced at just $8.99 right now with free shipping for Prime members! You can also purchase the video at NCircleEntertainment.com

edit: this giveaway is now closed

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Chloe’s Closet: Outdoor Explorer

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Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

I received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This post may contain affiliate links. 

Get Ready for Halloween with Great New DVDs! GIVEAWAY!!!

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NCircle Entertainment has been very busy preparing some SPOOK-tacular new DVDs for your children in anticipation of Halloween. Darah has been watching these stories every day after her quiet time and really loves them all!

First up is a brand new DVD from Sid the Science Kid called “Sid’s Spooky Halloween.” Tim and I both especially love this one, because it includes some really fun and very easy to replicate science projects, all with a spooky (but not truly scary) theme. It’s so much fun to watch!

Two classics have also been released on DVD this season. The first is a set of 3 Halloween episodes from WordWorld and it is called “A Kooky, Spooky Halloween.” I was unfamiliar with this show prior to watching the episodes. Most every character and even background object is actually made of words. It’s really neat! The show also finds creative ways to help kids learn how to build words together throughout each story. It’s absolutely perfect for pre-readers and early reader.

Finally, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That has a Halloween DVD, too, called “Tricks and Treats!” Did you know The Cat in the Hat is my least favorite Dr. Seuss character? It’s because he gets into so much mischief! I’m much more like the fish in the bowl who keeps telling him to go away! I think Darah especially likes The Cat in the Hat because she knows he gets under mommy’s skin. 🙂

If your kid is itching for some Halloween fun before the big day, any one of these DVDs would be a great choice! They are $6.99 each (great price, right?!) and are available at NCircle Entertainment or at a retailer near you!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win all 3 DVDs I reviewed! How fun! This is a shorter giveaway than usual to ensure that your prize reaches you before Halloween!

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Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

I received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.