Enlivenze LLC, Statue of Liberty FlipStir Puzzle

Being a puzzle-loving sort of mom with some semi-puzzle-loving kids, I was pleased to be included on the Enlivenze LLC FlipStir Puzzle review. Enlivenze LLC offers self-contained puzzles in a variety of levels, with a few different graphics to choose from. I received the Level 2 Statue of Liberty FlipStir Puzzle.  Level 2 puzzles have wavy edges which make them a little harder to manipulate. Level 1 puzzles are flat edged, and I imagine those pieces would slide into place more easily.

The puzzle is contained in a clear tube with a base and lid that are not removable. The knob on the top is the handle for a wand with a scoop on the end which is used to manipulate the puzzle pieces. FlipStir Puzzles are very compact in size (The tube is less than 7 inches tall, with the actual solved puzzle graphic being only about 4 inches in height). This makes it a good option to slip into a bag for entertainment purposes when traveling or going somewhere where waiting will be required.

My kids had a variety of opinions on the puzzle:

Youngest (9) is somewhat sensitive to squeaky sounds (He doesn't even like to wear new shoes because they are "too squeaky"... o.O). Unfortunately for him, if the wand is drawn across the opening while moving up and down to manipulate the pieces does create a definite squeak. Because he isn't dexterous enough to keep it in the very center of the hole while moving it, this was not a puzzle he enjoyed attempting, as it was squeaking at every move.

Middlest (15) was willing to try the puzzle, even though puzzles aren't really his thing. He expected to solve it instantaneously, and was a little frustrated that it wasn't quite that easy. It *is* a puzzle, and there *is* a challenge to it. We found that it takes close to 15-20 minutes to solve on average. He didn't seem to bothered at all by the noise of the wand, so clearly, that is something that will vary from person to person.

Eldest (19) is my puzzle-lover, but she is also somewhat sensitive to sounds, so her enjoyment of the puzzle/challenge was overshadowed by the little squeaks, and the extra work required to not let the wand slide on the plastic opening.

Mom~ Well... the squeaky-ness didn't really annoy me (And I think it *may* be getting less squeaky as it is played with more, but I'm not totally sure about that), and I enjoyed the challenge of manipulating the pieces to their proper positions.

I could see that a puzzle of this type might be very frustrating to someone with fine motor skill issues, and would be a better fit for those who enjoy working with their hands. On the flip side (see what I did there? ;), it could also be a good exercise for those who need some practice, not only with motor skills but spatial reasoning.

Other puzzles received by the TOS Review Crew included the Level 1 Rainbow Pencils and the Tyrannosaurus Rex Puzzles as well as the Solar System Puzzle (another Level 2). There is a 3rd Level 2 puzzle available (Periodic Table) that was not included on this review.

Not So Nutty Nitty Gritty 

• Company: Enlivenze LLC
• Product: Statue of Liberty FlipStir Puzzle
• Ages: 7-adult
• Price: $24.95

You can visit Enlivenze on Facebook and Twitter, and 

FlipStir Puzzles on these Facebook and Twitter accounts. 

Please click the banner below to visit the TOS Review Crew and see what others had to say. As always, I hope that this review was useful to you as you choose where best to spend your homeschool budget.

Blessings~

One Day Only Sale (Educational Gifts!!)

I received an email in my inbox today detailing an Amazon "Deal of the Day" that I thought was worth mentioning, since I'm planning to purchase one of the items myself... :)
I try to not get into the over-hyping of "stuff" but when it's good quality... I feel the need to share a good deal! (Some of these would make fantastic gifts for donations!)

There are a bunch of Learning Resources products on sale for 50%+ off. We own and love a bunch of these toys!

So, what item am I planning to purchase? We have a VERY old, breaking, tiny cash register (from when my 17 yo was a tike), and my 7 year old keeps saying that he would love it if we got a new one. I've put it on the back burner because the list price for most of the pretend cash registers out there doesn't correlate with our budget... Enter the Learning Resources Teaching Cash Register (on sale for $27.50 instead of $50/$60, and less than I could find it anywhere else)

It has drawers that hold real sized money (!),  instead of and itty bitty cash drawer which is what our current falling apart cash register holds.  Of course I don't expect TOO much wear and tear given my youngest's age, but sturdiness is definitely something to consider, and this one looks pretty good!

Apparently there are also some teaching games (This machine "talks"... which may be good or bad depending on your POV) that can help with counting, coin recognition, and basic "money math" which is something some teens at the grocery store could use upon occasion. ;)

Other items of interest?

Learning Resources Pretend & Play Kitchen Set for $22.50
We don't own this exact set, but we own many of the items in it. Fun times! :)

One of my favorites, and the one we have owned for years (Still going strong...) Educational Insights Pots N' Pans Set (currently $10). It looks like they've added a couple of kitchen tools since our purchase over a decade ago (potato masher and tongs)

There are a bunch of other fun kitchen/shopping type items on this daily deal as well as some jumbo plastic play animal sets that are often very popular with the young set... here are a few of them, there are more in the sale:

Learning Resources Jumbo Farm Animals ($15)
Learning Resources Jumbo Domestic Pets ($15)
    Learning Resources Jumbo Jungle Animals ($15)

There are other toys~ Gears, Science Tools,  a Time Tracker, and more...
Check them out if you like, and I hope that this was useful to you!



 Blessings~

Forts! Castles! Hideaways! Toydle!

Hey, friends~

Remember this post from before Christmas? About the Toydle Fort? ~ Well, I can share some more now!

First off, I was sent the BIG Toydle Fort to play build with, and I gave it to the two boys for their 2nd day of Christmas present (only because I knew we wouldn't have time to use it on Christmas Day). See that big box on the right side of the tree?? Wow, it's heavy!

Wonder what's inside? Hey, a red bag! Just what we wanted! But what's inside the bag????

Most excellent building materials for kids of all ages! PVC pipes and wooden blocks (Not to mention some nifty little clamps to hold the "Sides and tops" of the fort on)! Really, what boy (Or girl, for that matter) wouldn't have a blast with these "almost-raw" building materials???


Building commenced in our little "Extra Room" on the 3rd floor, which had fairly open floor space as it was used as a wrapping station for Christmas!


A Fun place to hide (Notice the sheets and sarongs nicely held to the structure to create a ceiling and semi-walls~ Have to rustle up some more if we want to make a more impenetrable fort). Doesn't the sun shining through the skylight look fabulous??? I love it!







Makes for a cozy spot to read to a little brother, or make up a fantastic game.

The Fort has become something of the daily "School spot" for eldest~ gives her a cozy, quiet place away from youngest to do her math and science("No photos, PLEASE, Mom!").

However, this weekend it was transformed again! The "walls" were rolled up (but the ceiling stayed), and the grids became separate areas for various playmobil vignettes. Youngest is hoping to actually PLAY now that everything has been set up! Here are a few photos so you can get an idea of how each square can accommodate  a different world.

You have your basic forest home, Fire rescue trucks

A Ranch, a concert,
and Middlest's dream home with a skate park right outside the front door! (Not quite sure what the boat is doing... must be in drydock for repairs...???)

I love the firefighters putting on a rescue operation (with a helicopter, even!) to get a stuck Santa out of the chimney.... ;)


 The possibilities are fairly endless here. Once I convince them that it is OK to take this structure down, I'd love to create three little "Single-square" homes, complete with sides, so that they can have a quiet cozy spot to read. We're also toying with the idea of tunnel/maze, but I'm not sure that will happen until we can take this outdoors for an afternoon.

I can't think of anything we don't like about our Toydle Fort other than the desire to have MORE to build with! (Isn't that the way with almost ALL "Building" toys???) Of course, then we'd need to get more HOUSE to build IN! :D

As a reminder, here is all the information that you need to get in touch with the fine folks at Toydle, just in case there is some Christmas gift money floating around, just waiting to be spent. ;)

Toydle Forts~

Made in the USA
Open-ended, Creative fun

All Toydle Forts are constructed with

• Hand made wooden blocks 3” sq. made with high quality, laminated poplar.
• High Quality PVC tubes 29” long & 1/2in wide.

All Toydle Forts include an industrial strength storage bag.
All Toydle Forts include clips to help secure your sheets and blankets.

Two sizes~
The Toydle Fort~ $149 Build to 45 square feet! (pictured above)
The BIG Toydle Fort~ $229 Build to 90 square feet!
You can visit TOYDLE on Facebook, and Twitter, as well as exploring their website.

As always, I hope that you enjoyed this review (We sure did!). To see how other people/children utilized these plastic pipes and wooden blocks, please visit the TOS Crew Blog.

Blessings~

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this/these item(s)/service for free as part of the TOS Crew Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Christmas Gift Idea~ Build it up, build it out

Hey, friends~

I am receiving a super fun item for review from the TOS Crew. I'm planning to save it for Christmas for the boys~ BUT, I wanted to let you in on it before Christmas! I also have some exciting news, so be sure to read all the way to the bottom of the post!

Toydle Forts~

Made in the USA
Open-ended, Creative fun

All Toydle Forts are constructed with

• Hand made wooden blocks 3” sq. made with high quality, laminated poplar.
• High Quality PVC tubes 29” long & 1/2in wide.

All Toydle Forts include an industrial strength storage bag.
All Toydle Forts include clips to help secure your sheets and blankets.

Two sizes~
The Toydle Fort~ $149 Build to 45 square feet! (pictured above)
The BIG Toydle Fort~ $229 Build to 90 square feet!


You can visit TOYDLE on Facebook, and Twitter, as well as exploring their website.

Now for the exciting news!  The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is giving away THREE of the BIG forts~ Check it out! What a great Christmas Present!
NOTE: This contest is open to residents of the United States ONLY.  TOS Staff and TOS Crew Members (and their families) are not eligible to enter this contest.

Be sure to check back here AFTER Christmas for my review!

Blessings~

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this/these item(s)/service for free as part of the TOS Crew Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Wheels, please! (Spinning and Flipping are even better!)

Middlest recently had a birthday~ ever since he was little he has liked machines, preferably "with wheels"(which was his reply when asked if he wanted a washing machine for his birthday when he was about 4 or 5). If you see everything he received,  you might join me in a refrain of:

"One of these things is not like the other
One of these things just doesn't belong
Can you find which thing
is not like the others
By the time I finish my song... "

Have you spied the one piece that doesn't totally "go" with everything else? (Hint... it isn't Skateboard related...)
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
OK, so if you didn't pick it out.... it's the lovely green/black/orange box with the Tonka XT Ricochet Trickster. Not really skateboard oriented at all, although it DOES fit the color scheme rather nicely... :) 

BzzAgent kindly sent this to me JUST in time for Middlest's Birthday~ What marvelous timing! Although it has taken me a WHILE to get a video up and running (seemed like every time I was thinking of it we needed to charge the batteries, or replace the batteries, but finally!), this little remote vehicle has been played with on a fairly regular basis, and enjoyed by all the children, from 4-14. As you will see in the video, Middlest even figured out how to utilize his tech deck skate ramps.... :) Love the ingenuity!


What you won't see is the fun they have running it around the dog(video I took turned out too dark, but it is a hoot to see in real life). She definitely thinks it is something she should chase, but since it has some crazy spinning action she doesn't get the chance to get a-hold of it. (Good thing, too!)

Some basic thoughts and information:

• The Tonka XT Ricochet Trickster is sturdy, just as I expect from the Tonka Brand. 
• The batteries seem to last fairly well (the Controller: Requires 5 AA batteries and the Vehicle Includes 1 3.6V rechargeable battery~ which recharges when connected to the controller~ kind of a spiffy little setup). 
• You can be as simple (just driving it around the floor) as you like, or fairly elaborate (Our video is fairly simple, but take a gander at this.....  BTW, Middlest didn't see this till AFTER he set his own  up. :)
• Price is similar to most RC vehicles I've seen~ around $24.99 list price, and unlike some other RC vehicles we've played with, this one looks like it will hold up to all sorts of play.

Blessings~





Thank you to BuzzAgent and Hasbro for supplying us with the Tonka XT Ricochet Trickster for free. I was not required to write a review, but am happy to share this with my friends as they start looking for ideas for Christmas gifting.  Music background in the video is Brittany Hargest's "Bring the Party"

Say Anything family~ (North Star Games)

One of our favorite all-around games last year was a TOS Crew review (Wits and Wagers Family) from the fine folks at North Star Games. This year we were sent the Family version of Say Anything.

Similar to our experiences with Wits and Wagers, game-play is reasonably simple, and the playing field is fairly even, with everyone from the oldest to the youngest having a fair shot at earning points.

The concept is that a different person is the "Judge" in each round. One of 360 questions from the pack of 60 cards included is asked: "in my opinion......" and everyone has to answer what they think the "judge" might be most likely to answer. Once the answers (Written on nifty little color-coded white-boards) are placed, the judge secretly chooses his or her favorite answer (Utilizing the "Select-o-matic 6000," which is the colored wheel in the picture below, to indicate the choice). Everyone else then places their meeple tokens on the card with which they think the judge is most likely to agree.

 

So, in the round above, I was the judge (Orange card, so no answer), Littlest was yellow, Middlest was Blue, Eldest was pink, and DH was green. The question was,  "If I could invent anything, what would it be?"

Youngest chose not to do anything but scribble on his card, but he did place his meeple tokens ~ and because he put one on the color of the answer I chose, he gained a point.

Middlest had the winning card "A house picker-upper that would automatically put things back in their places!" but he wasn't sure which one I'd pick, so he also picked his dad's choice, an "Automatic Back Massager" (I have TMJ which is exasperated by tense muscles, so this is a good idea as well!)

Eldest's idea was really well defined "A thingy to find stuff that's lost in the house." She explained it as something that would make a noise if something you were looking for was lost (kind of like how we can find our ipad/itouch, but for everything). I think the rest of the photo is fairly self-explanatory.

I really appreciate games that we can play all together. Games that are creative, and incorporate conversation and laughter. Games that are light-hearted and encourage "relationship." Games that can be completed in 20 minutes or so are a bonus!  That way "Family Game-time" can be easily worked in. If time allows, more than one game can be played, but if not, that's OK. All good! Say Anything is one of those games! :)

Nitty Gritty~
Recommended Ages:8+ (But clearly your mileage may vary, especially if you're willing to "Work with" your little ones)
Players: 3-6 (Better/more fun with 4 or more)
Time to Teach: 2 minutes
Time to Play: 20-30 minutes
Purchase: at Amazon or Target, or your local toy or game retailer (Search here) for around $19.99

Be sure to visit the TOS Crew blog to hear other opinions on Say Anything. You can also pop over to the new reviews up for Wits & Wagers as well, if you're so inclined.

As always, I hope that this review is helpful to you as you choose where to spend your hard-earned dollars.

Blessings~

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this/these item(s)/service for free as part of the TOS Crew Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."