Learning a second language with Whistlefritz is fun!
Learning a second language at a young age can play a key role in a child’s academic achievements which can help them immensely as they mature.
According to the Cornell Language Acquisition Lab, “Learning a second language does not cause language confusion, language delay or cognitive deficit, which have been concerns in the past.”
Studies indicate immersion via learning and hearing. Eventually, if they are able to master speaking a new language, it may be the best way for kids to pick up new words and increase their chances of becoming bilingual.
Whistlefritz is an awarding program that uses language immersion so your child can learn how to speak Spanish or French! It was created after Founder, Heidi Stock set out on a mission to find a fun yet educational teaching materials for her children to learn a new language. She quickly realized that most programs solely featured cartoons and didn’t feature live speakers for children to watch the movement of their lips. Not finding what she wanted, Heidi decided to create it herself!
Whistlefritz’s programs allow kids to join a group of lovable characters. The set includes the animated mouse Fritzi, the animated mouse who whisks you on an adventure with her other colorful friends to learn another language! The combination of live-action, animation, and lively music makes the programs as entertaining as they are educational. Children will learn their second language through Whistlefritz the same way they learned their first language: through words used in context by live speakers in engaging games, well thought out skits and catchy music.
Whistlefritz’s collections include DVDs, flashcards and worksheets that are available in Spanish and French.
Enter to win a DVD and CD from Whistlefritz in Spanish or French, A 45 Value!
Over the weekend myself, my kids, my aunt, my niece and nephew visited Diggerland in West Berlin, NJ. It is a bit of a drive from Central NJ, about 1 and a half hours, but it is well worth it and an easy trip right up the NJ Turnpike to exit 4.
This is a dream come true for any child who has a thing for construction. Even though my boys were never into it much, they had huge smiles on their faces all day!
It is toddler friendly, there are many things they can do even if they do not meet some of the ride height requirements because many allow for an accompanying adult, so although they cannot go alone if they do not meet the requirement, they can still ride the ride and enjoy all of the experiences.
One thing to note is that when we went, on a Saturday, it was not at all too crowded which I loved. The kids only had short waits in the lines for the rides and activities. That means a lot to me. Especially on a hot Summer day, nothing is worse than standing in a long line with the sun beaming down on you and cranky hot kids. That is not the case here, so feel free to go on a weekend if that is when you’re free.
Let’s check out some of the awesome things we saw and did during our visit this June;
RUGGED RIDERS –
The kids absolutely loved this! As long as they’re 48″ or taller they get to drive the RTV themselves, yes by themselves! There is a track that you go around twice. My 11 year old did it all by himself, and I went on with my 7 year old just for the ride, but he did all of the driving and steering. The smiles on their faces were priceless.
Driver Minimum Height 48″, Minimum rider height when accompanied by parents/guardian: 42″
Ride or drive the comfortable and versatile off-road Kubota RTV-900. Weighing almost 2000 lbs and with 21.6 HP, the ease of using the Rugged Riders might surprise you. Read all about the release of this new ride in the press release.
BIG DIGGERS –
This was another hit with our kids. Actually operating the construction machinery. The REAL, big, construction machines. They had digging pits filled with dirt set up and the kids get to dig away. The machines are set on a few minute timer, but again, there were not many long lines or waits so they were able to go on as many times as they’d like. I was amazed at how easily they all figured out how to operate them and maybe they are some construction workers in the making!
Operator minimum height: 42″ | Lap rider must be: 36″ – 48″
Learn to operate a real digger! Weighing in at a whopping 7,092 pounds, and with a powerful 26.8hp engine, kids can dig until their hearts are content on the JCB 8030’s. This supervised attraction offers family-friendly machinery and the chance to really get down and dirty!
MINI DIG: DUCKS
Similar to the Big Diggers attraction above, they got to operate the real machinery and in this case, had some arcade like games with it. There were different ones set up, some to pick up a row of ducks and see how many you can get in the limited time (maybe 2 minutes or so) and a bowling setup of “pins” to try and knock over in the same amount of time. Again, I was impressed how quickly the kids picked up how to operate it. My 11 year old got almost all of the ducks (except 1) in the time frame and I had watched adults do it prior to him, only getting 1 or 2, so I was impressed. It was fun to watch. Adults are welcome to join in on all of the fun including these game and verse your children or eachother.
Operator minimum height: 42″ | Lap rider must be: 36″ – 48″
Snatch floating ducks from a pond with a JCB 8018 CTS mini-excavator! At 2,200 rpms with its piston-driven motor, grabbing all the ducks from our pond is not as easy as it looks!
MINI DIG: BOWLERS
Operator minimum height: 42″ | Lap rider must be: 36″ – 48″
No special shoes required for this game of EXTREME bowling! Your “bowling ball” is attached to the arm of a JCB 8018 mini-excavator! Manipulate the arm and see if you can knock down all of the pins! Sounds easy—but not when you’re controlling over two tons of steel!
DIG-A-ROUND –
This is the more awesome version of the carousel that you’re used to. Instead of riding on a horse, the kids get to sit in actual cranes that have been made into a fun ride we all know and love. Is this a kids dream or what?
Minimum height 36” to ride
Half merry-go-round, half excavator! The Dig-A-Round is Diggerland’s version of a carousel! Climb into the bucket of a JCB 8065 and enjoy the breeze as you are elevated and circled around this 14,515 pound 8065 excavator!
DIGGER DERBY –
Your classic go karts, but they’re rigged to go bit slower for little ones. Easy to start and stop, the “pedals” to go are actually on the steering wheel making it easy for even the smallest of drivers to have fun.
Driver minimum height: 38″ Driver maximum height: 60″
Hop behind the wheel of one of these individual mini cars and prepare to burn some serious rubber as you operate the vehicle around our exclusive racetrack. No better way to test your speedway skills and get the adrenaline pumping! (Note: This ride has a 38” minimum and 60” maximum height to drive)
THE KID ZONE –
This is a cute park in the coolest rainbow colors for the kids to enjoy when they need a break from such coolness surrounding them. Slides come from every angle of the main unit, accompanied by some swings and standard park-like fun.
Children Only, No Height Requirement.
Kids have a place of their very own in the Kids’ Zone! Packed with activities to keep them busy, mom and dad can relax and know that their child is safe and having fun in a place built just for them!
VIDEO ARCADE –
The arcade is simple and small, but packs a lot of fun. My nephew got a whopping 1800 pts to spend at the prize counter and my kids enjoyed the video games and claws. It’s a nice break from the heat, and a chance to escape the little rain we got on the day we went.
Diggerland has a full arcade center stocked with some awesome prizes! Take a break and play some Skee-Ball, air hockey, or one of the many other game systems to enjoy.
There are many other rides that we didn’t have time to visit, 25+! Check out their site for more. They also have tractor pulls and fun activities that vary per day. The Elmwood park zoo was there with some animals the day we went which was a perk!
2019 is here! And that means all new, 2019 products to test! My son has been getting into doing reviews and I thought this would be fun for him. Check out what’s in the January box in the video at the bottom!
Daily Goodie Box. It’s more than just Free Samples!
If you’re interested in any of the products in this box click the links below!
RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET opening in theatres everywhere November 21st
In RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET, video-game bad guyRalph(voice of John C. Reilly)and best friend Vanellopevon Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman)leave the comforts of Litwak’s arcade in an attempt to save her game, Sugar Rush. Their quest takes them to the vast, uncharted world of the internetwhere they rely on the citizens of the internet—the Netizens—to help navigate their way. Lending a virtual hand are Yesss (voice of Taraji P. Henson), the head algorithm and the heart and soul of the trend-making site “BuzzzTube,” and Shank (voice of Gal Gadot), a tough-as-nails driver from a gritty online auto-racing game called Slaughter Race, a placeVanellope wholeheartedly embraces—so much so that Ralph worries he may lose the only friend he’s ever had.Directed by Rich Moore (“Zootopia,” “Wreck-It Ralph”) and Phil Johnston (co-writer “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Zootopia,” writer, “Cedar Rapids”), and produced by Clark Spencer (“Zootopia,” “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Bolt,” “Lilo & Stitch”), “Ralph Breaks the Internet” hits theaters onNov. 21, 2018.
GAME CHANGER
New World Tests the Strength of Friendship
“Ralph Breaks the Internet” takes Ralph and Vanellope to a vast, unfamiliar world with
endless possibilities. When filmmakers put themselves in the characters’ shoes, they
realized Ralph and Vanellope would have completely different points of view when it came
to the internet. Says director Rich Moore, “They’re like a couple of small-town kids who
venture into the big city. One falls in love with the city, while the other one can’t wait to go
home.”
“Ralph is in love with the life that he has,” adds director Phil Johnston. “But Vanellope is
ready for a change—she wants to spread her wings a little. That creates conflict within
their friendship, which becomes the heart of the story.”
“I love that the film is about change,” says producer Clark Spencer. “Two best friends are
about to realize that the world won’t always be the same. The internet is the perfect
setting, really, because it’s all about change—things change by the second.”
The story kicks off in the arcade, where Ralph and Vanellope have been living
harmoniously—fulfilling their duties in their games during the day and hanging out together
in their neighboring arcade games at night. “Vanellope is lamenting the fact that her game
is getting a little boring,” says Johnston. “So, Ralph takes it upon himself to amplify the
excitement in Sugar Rush. And Ralph being Ralph—it doesn’t go exactly as planned.”
Ralph’s shenanigans trigger a chain of events that culminate with a player in the arcade
accidentally breaking the steering wheel off Vanellope’s game. When Litwak learns that a
replacement part would cost more than the game makes in a year, he has no choice but to
unplug Sugar Rush and sell it for parts. “The part they need to fix the game is at a place on
the internet called eBay,” says Pamela Ribon, who co-wrote the screenplay with Johnston.
“Ralph and Vanellope have never heard of the internet, much less eBay, but Litwak has
installed a router, so the arcade is actually online for the first time. They decide to take the
leap into this unknown world and travel to the internet in order to find the steering wheel
and save Vanellope’s game.
“The internet strikes them as loud, fast, crazy and completely unpredictable,” continues
Ribon. “Ralph is nervous and uncomfortable, and Vanellope is smitten, of course.”
Come spend An Afternoon with former New York Yankee, Tino Martinez! The first hour will be a moderated Q&A session with the audience and Tino. The remainder of the time is for meet & greets! VIP Package ticketholders go first, followed by Photo Op ticketholders.Please carefully read all packages to ensure that you are purchasing exactly what you would like.
Tickets can be ordered from HERE and details below;
VIP Package WITH my readers special code – tino (must apply at link above) Ticket includes admission into the Q&A, one (1) personal item to be signed by Tino Martinez, and one (1) professional photo with Tino. Each VIP Package permits ONE (1) guest/parent to accompany the ticketholder. The guest is NOT permitted to meet Tino, receive any photos, autographs, or collateral. The guest MAY accompany ticketholder into the Q&A session. **NO PERSONLIZATIONS OR INSCRIPTIONS**
VIP Package $150 Ticket includes admission into the Q&A, one (1) personal item to be signed by Tino Martinez, and one (1) professional photo with Tino. Each VIP Package permits ONE (1) guest/parent to accompany the ticketholder. The guest is NOT permitted to meet Tino, receive any photos, autographs, or collateral. The guest MAY accompany ticketholder into the Q&A session. **NO PERSONLIZATIONS OR INSCRIPTIONS**
Photo Op Package $60 Package includes admission into the Q&A, one (1) professional photo with Tino Martinez, and one (1) commemorative photo of Tino Martinez. This package does not include any autographs. Each Photo Op Package permits ONE (1) guest/parent to accompany the ticketholder. The guest is NOT permitted to meet Tino, receive any photos, autographs, or collateral. The guest MAY accompany ticketholder into the Q&A session. EXTRA ITEM TICKET CAN NOT BE ADDED TO THIS PACKAGE.
Q&A Ticket $25 Ticket includes admission for one (1) person into the one (1) hour Q&A session with Tino Martinez. This ticket is ONLY for the Q&A session, no meet & greet, autographs, etc.
Extra Item Ticket $55 YOU MUST PURCHASE A VIP PACKAGE (NOT PHOTO OP PACKAGE) FOR THIS TICKET TO BE VALID. This ticket allows a VIP TICKETHOLDER to bring one (1) extra personal item to be signed. (MAX 2 EXTRA ITEMS PER PERSON! VIP Package already comes with one (1) item to be signed. If one (1) Extra Item Ticket is purchased, VIP Package ticketholder will be allowed to have two (2) items signed total. If two (2) Extra Item Tickets are purchased, the VIP ticketholder is permitted to have three (3) items signed total. Please read carefully as these tickets will not be refunded.
Legendary MLB Athlete Tino Martinez, NFL Star Sam Darnold to Come to iPlay America
Freehold, N.J., November 2, 2018 – Four-time World Series Champion and Olympic gold medalist, Tino Martinez, and third-overall 2018 NFL draft pick and starting quarterback for New York’s “Team Green”, Sam Darnold, will be appearing at iPlay America. Martinez will be appearing on Saturday, November 10, and Darnold will be at iPlay America on Tuesday, December 11 for meet & greets with fans.
Tino Martinez is a two-time MLB All-Star with a Silver Slugger Award and Monument Park honoree at Yankee Stadium. Fans can spend the afternoon with world-champion Martinez as he recalls moments from his note-worthy career with the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays. Doors will open on November 10 at 11:00 AM and the event will begin at 12:00 PM. VIP and photo-op ticket packages, as well as Q&A tickets are available for purchase. To view package options, visitwww.iplayamerica.com/event/afternoon-tino-martinez/.
Sam Darnold is the current quarterback for New York’s “Team Green” and third-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Before being drafted to NY, Darnold played for the University of Southern California. He will be spending the evening at iPlay America on Tuesday, December 11, giving fans the chance to meet him in person. Doors will open at 5:00 PM and the event will begin at 6:00 PM. Meet & greet packages are available for purchase atwww.iplayamerica.com/event/sam-darnold/.
“Meet & greets and Q&A sessions with notable athletes are always sought after by our fan base,” said Jessica Schwartz, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for iPlay America. “We’re excited to present New York sports fans with the opportunity to interact with two local stars from the MLB and NFL with our Tino Martinez and Sam Darnold meet & greets.”
Check out what else is happening at iPlay America throughout the remainder of the year;
About iPlay America
iPlay America is theplaceto Get Inside the Fun! Its all indoor, family-friendly themed environment provides guests nearly four acres of outstanding rides, games, and attractions making it the perfect destination for FUN year round! The Event Center @IPA is home to concerts, corporate events, expos, galas, trade shows, company outings, sporting events, social gatherings, and every kind of party. iPlay America offers guests a mouth-watering selection of Boardwalk style fare, classic American cuisine at Game Time Bar & Grill, and an impressive event catering menu. ALWAYS free to enter, iPlay America’s guests can enjoy exciting attractions like 2-level Laser Tag, Indoor Go-Kart Track, Spinning Coaster and the Sky Trails® High Ropes Course (the largest indoor ropes course in New Jersey). iPlay America is a 2017 winner of TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence for Outstanding Service. For FUN, fine food, and events of any size, the award winning iPlay America is the place to Get Inside the Fun. iPlay America is located on Route 9 at 110 Schanck Road in Freehold, New Jersey.
I always loved this movie as a child and am so excited that they are releasing a new one!
In Disney’s MARY POPPINS RETURNS, an all-new original musical and sequel, Mary Poppins is back to help the next generation of the Banks family find the joy and wonder missing in their lives following a personal loss. Emily Blunt stars as the practically-perfect nanny with unique magical skills who can turn any ordinary task into an unforgettable, fantastic adventure and Lin-Manuel Miranda plays her friend Jack, an optimistic street lamplighter who helps bring light—and life—to the streets ofLondon.
MARY POPPINS RETURNS arrives in theatres everywhere on December 19th! Here is a Special Look for my readers!
MARY POPPINS RETURNS is directed by Rob Marshall. The screenplay is by David Magee and the screen story is by Magee & Rob Marshall & John DeLuca based upon the Mary Poppins Stories by PL Travers. The producers are John DeLuca, p.g.a., Rob Marshall, p.g.a. and Marc Platt, p.g.a. with Callum McDougall serving as executive producer. The music score is by Marc Shaiman and the film features all new original songs with music by Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman. The film also stars Ben Whishaw as Michael Banks; Emily Mortimer as Jane Banks; Julie Walters as the Banks’ housekeeper Ellen; Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh and introducing Joel Dawson as the Banks’ children, with Colin Firth as Fidelity Fiduciary Bank’s William Weatherall Wilkins; and Meryl Streep as Mary’s eccentric cousin, Topsy. Angela Lansbury appears as the Balloon Lady, a treasured character from the PL Travers books and Dick Van Dyke is Mr. Dawes, Jr., the retired chairman of the bank now run by Firth’s character.
MARY POPPINS RETURNS arrives in theatres everywhere on December 19th!
If you haven’t checked out www.dailygoodiebox.com yet and like free stuff then what are you waiting for?
You can see my long history with them in my blog and how each box gets better and better. No strings attached and yes they’re really FREE.
Just take a little time to review the product in your profile at their site and that’s it. The manufacturers value their customers feedback, and having it all laid out simply on www.dailygoodiebox.com makes it a one stop source for them and for you to get cool stuff free.
They have the most amazing brand partners featuring new and healthy items for everyone!
August’s box was a fun one! Here is what it included;
Much like a redbull but without the massive sugar count, and packed with iron this little drink is a nice pick me up.
This is such a cute brand. The outstanding packaging it comes in is worth it alone, but the nail polish color is just so cute and trendy. This is good enough to give as a gift if you can part with it.
These are cute little samples of Grandpa soaps. I love the witch hazel which naturally clarifies your hair folicals and scalp. It has the faintest smell, ordinarily I like a fragrant shampoo, but this was ok.
The Grandpa Soap Co – Witch Hazel Shampoo and Conditioner
Protein bars are sort if my arch nemesis. Ive only met one brand that I liked, and sadly this isn’t it. I love me some peanut butter, but the consistency on this is hard to swallow. It might just be me being picky!
First of all, yes, an entire BOX of these came in my goodie box. How exciting! Unfortunately I am not a fan of blueberries so I had to spit this out after ther first bite (a little too bitter since it’s all natural) but my husband sure loved these. He ate the entire box of the 5 left in just 2 days. These equal vHealthy and happy husbands!
To Enter the giveaway, “Like” Daily Goodie Box” on Facebook and Just For Moms on Facebook plus comment and share this giveaway post so I can pick the winner! You can also head over to the daily goodie box Facebook to enter to win goodie boxes, prizes, and more daily!
What a blast my boys and I had today at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City New Jersey.
Today was a perfect day to be at the LSC. 75 and sunny for the morning and we got there bright and early to get a jump start on Dino Dig!
This is a view looking down on the exhibit from the 4th floor. It’s a huge area of imagination and digging up REAL (ok, replica) Dinosaur bones!
We’ve been here before, but even though they’ve seen it, my boys still seemed to enjoy it just as if it was the first time again. Finding new dinosaurs, even dinosaurs eggs and poop!
Not to mention, I cannot get enough of this view! You can pay big money for a view as close as this to the NYC skyline. Many parts of the center allow for outstanding views but the Dino Dig section is basically in its backyard.
We wanted to also check out some of the featured exhibits on the third floor. These are the limited time, see em’ while they’re hot, catch them if you can kind of exhibited so I suggest you get on in!
Arthur’s World is pretty cute. It is an entire large portion of the 3rd floor dedicated to the children’s show “Arthur”. Although my kids were never into the show, they’ve both read the books and appreciated this fantasy room where they got to feel like they were part of the show.
They got to pretend to be school teachers and students of the class. There were changes of clothes they can even wear to get into character.
They also went “camping” and played house complete with a kitchen.
They looked around and played however it might be more in tune with the younger crowd.
The most popular new exhibit is the planetarium dome theater show theat runs every hour or so. It is included with the LSC day pass, but I believe they’d like you to sign up for showtimes to avoid having to turn anyone away.
I remember seeing shows in this awesome dome theater as a child. It used to make me dizzy, and still does,- but it’s worth it!
They have a few different shows all based on the solar system, we saw “beyond 2 worlds”.
My 6 year old was a bit nervous, gripping on to the seats because of the virtual reality like feeling you get. Eventually he settled down and enjoyed it. Both kids and myself left with a huge smile and slight headaches and dizziness. It’s a love/hate relationship!
Last but certainly not least, the awesome new exhibit GROSSOLOGY was so cool!
Having 2 boys, gross is a part of my daily vocabulary… this is not for the queezy people of the world. Many boogers, burps and farts are thrown around this room. Many..
I think my favorite part of this exhibit was the lifesize, real life operation game. Squishy organs you place one by one into a cartoon body, and then go to work getting a light flashing and buzzing if you even so much as tap the metal sides, just like the game!
They would stay in this exhibit for hours if I let them.
Aside from the fun new exhibits, we hit up some of our old favorites too. The touch tunnel;
The animal exhibits!
And so much more.
You definitely need a full day to really appreciate everything. There is a food court that you can stop and get a bite for lunch or dinner, so plan a full day here… see it all.
Take in all of the knowledge, fun, and views the Liberty Science Center has to offer. You’ll be happy you did!
Check out the all new C-HR by Toyota. What a cool looking car right? Immediately I felt like it was a car of the future, especially with the back door handles higher up then normal, made it feel like a “special” vehicle that I’d feel proud to ride around town in.
My kids, my husband, and I went to Medieval Times over the weekend in Lyndhurst NJ and took the 1 hour ride in style with this beauty.
It has everything you’d expect from a 2018 vehicle, blind spot monitoring, large LCD touch screen with bluetooth capability, heated seating, and more, although navigation does not come standard which is interesting.
One thing that I found unique that may be a Toyota brand thing (this is my first time with a Toyota) is the back up camera comes up on the rear view mirror as opposed to what I am used to which is on the large LCD screen.
See how small it is? Personally I am not a fan of this for a few reasons. The number one reason being the picture is very small and grainy and I don’t quite get the point of it being there instead of a much larger viewing screen. The second thing is, as a mom, while driving I have enough distractions with the kids fighting over things in the back seat, It’s defintely a distraction to have to look into the rear view mirror foot the back up camera, and in the right side is the actual mirror which you can see out of the back, yes, but you also see little heads bopping around and hands flailing about. I guess I don’t really see the point of it IN the rear view mirror. Anyone?
I found myself not even using it and struggling to see out of the accrual mirror instead along with the turn your head to see technique which the back windows make it very hard to see out of since they’re small due to design.
I guess that’s a price to pay for external beauty. The vehicle itself shines no matter where you go because it is so different in its design.
I thought my kids would have a hard time opening the back doors themselves but once I told them where the door handle was (I admit, I let them struggle for a bit trying to figure out where it was #badmom) they were able to open it pretty easily.
Can you find the back door handle? LOL!
The inside front is much smaller then my husband and I are used to with me having a full size explorer, but it is roomy enough to get comfortable in after. Also, surprisingly The back seat is much roomier than you would think.
My stepfather wanted to go for a ride in the back seat with my youngest and he raved about how comfortable he was back there even though it’s a small sized crossover.
From the back it looks like a small hatch back, but looks can be deceiving.
You all know I look forward to getting my FREE “Daily Goodie Box” in the mail, and what I love even more is getting to unbox it and see all of the cool stuff inside and share it with you.
If you haven’t signed up yet, what are you waiting for? It’s free and it’s fun. What more can you ask for?
Is there a catch? No. But everyone will not get one just because they apply. There is a monthly amount given out randomly, but you can earn a free box easier if you comment on their Facebook posts. Just look for one that says they’ll be picking winners.
Time for the unboxing of April’s #Dailygoodiebox and I assure you there us some REALLY COOL stuff in this one!
Check out the links to the featured products in this month’s box!
This is a view looking down on the exhibit from the 4th floor. It’s a huge area of imagination and digging up REAL (ok, replica) Dinosaur bones!
They got to pretend to be school teachers and students of the class. There were changes of clothes they can even wear to get into character.
