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My First Cubby from Little Partners {Review}

Published on February 20, 2017February 19, 2017 by Casey SehmLeave a comment

If you’re a new or expecting parent, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. SPOIL ALERT! That tiny squishy baby will soon be an independent almost 5 year old faster than you can ever imagine. Time flies (I’m not at all exaggerating) and soon your little angel will be a wanting to do everything for him or herself with zero help from mom and dad. In my case, that new found independence is so welcomed. I gave birth to my youngest daughter 11 months ago (how is she almost one? *insert crying emoji) so my oldest wanting to do things for herself is a huge help. Whether it’s getting herself dressed, brushing her teeth by herself, going to the bathroom alone, or simply getting herself a snack, it’s one less thing that I have to do. So I jumped at the opportunity to review My First Cubby ($159.99) from Little Partners!

We have worked with Little Partners in the past and we love their products! You can check out the Tri-Side Learn & Play Art Center review here. I was excited to see how the Little Cubby could make our lives easier and help my daughter grow even more independently. First of all, the construction is solid. It was rather easy to put together, the instructions are very easy to read, and it was put together rather quickly (my husband builds furniture for a living so he may have had an advantage). Once built, I noticed the amazing quality. It’s sturdy and looks very classy in our hallway, it’s a piece of furniture you can be happy to put on display. After a quick screw in the wall for the tether to prevent it from falling, it was ready to go!

There are 2 sides, which is perfect for us so each kid can have their own side. There’s a top cubby that we use for hats. Below that is a section with 4 hooks on each side to hang coats and bags. On the bottom is a little cubby for a 2-3 pairs of shoes. My girls have so many shoes but I put the ones out that they were most often. I seriously love being able to ask my daughter to her jacket, shoes, and school bag and she knows to hang her stuff up when she gets home. It’s so nice! I love that it’s also teaching her to be responsible for her own things and she also knows where she can find her school bag or coat, it’s always in the same spot that she put it. The great thing is multiple cubbies can be pushed together for more children and for day cares or schools!

I’m beyond impressed with Little Partners. The My First Cubby will complete any bedroom, foyer, or playroom! I give My First Cubby a 5 out of 5 stars, it’s been such a help in our house and while the cubby is available in two beautiful wood finishes, I would love to see options available in colors. Soon enough my youngest will be able to hang her coat and bag on her side, but for now, my oldest is happy to lend me a helping hand!

Be sure to check out all of Little Partners fabulous products here and don’t forget to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to stay up-to-date with sales and new products!

– Casey

**BurritoBuzz received these products at low or no cost for the purpose of review or testing. No compensation for positive review was provided. All product reviews are based 100% off of our personal experiences and we never guarantee a positive review.**

Li’l Woodzeez {Toy Review}

Published on January 20, 2017January 20, 2017 by Casey SehmLeave a comment

My four year old is heading into my favorite stage of childhood. When I was her age, I really got into imaginative play. I was obsessed with my Little Tikes dollhouse and would play for hours on end every day. While my daughter has a few dolls and dollhouses, her favorite dolls aren’t dolls at all. They’re actually squirrels, skunks, and owls. They’re one of many animal families from the world of Li’l Woodzeez. I, I mean my daughter, was lucky enough to receive these awesome animal dolls to review and we both could not love them more!

Li’l Woodzeez is designed and manufactured by Battat, a family-owned business that’s been in business for almost 120 years and has been operating in North America for the last 45+ years. Home of so many award-winning toys, all Battat toys have an educational value, whether it’s didactic, nurturing, or collecting and creating worlds for children. This amazing company is also a proud supporter of the WE Villages program, an organization that is admired for its integrity and initiatives to make the world a better place for kids. You can find all of their exceptional and high quality toy brands here! Check out this video to see Li’l Woodzeez animal families and play sets in action:

We received our Li’l Woodzeez package about a week and a half before Christmas and my daughter was positive Santa had sent it for her! When we opened it, her eyes lit up when she saw the utterly adorable animal families that we were sent. They are all so cute! Each family of 4 came with a little book that told a story about each family which my daughter loves, we read them often. She also loved learning each of their first names (each family has an adorable last name as well, like the Whiffpuff Skunk family and the Whooswhoo Owl family). She loves that each family has a little baby that wears a diaper, she loves acting like their mama! The animals have whiskers too, and are really life-like with their velvety little bodies, these are quality critters!

We were also sent the incredible Honeysuckle Sweets & Treats Food Truck. I was blown away by this truck and all of it’s storage, it even has a trap door in the floor! It’s also packed with so many accessories and tiny little foods to play with, 89 pieces in all! From little tacos and slices of pizza, to little bottles of water and fries, to spatulas and plates. But when I say tiny, these things are tiny! You have be careful with little ones. My ten month old can’t be around when my oldest plays with her Li’l Woodzeez, there is just too much of a risk with her putting a piece in her mouth and choking. But that doesn’t prevent her big sister from having fun! We usually play together in the playroom during nap time. It gives us one on one time, and gives me the opportunity to relive my childhood with my big girl! **Not for children under 3 years.**

If your child has a favorite animal, I can almost guarantee that it has a Li’l Woodzeez family! There are literally so many animal families, it’s hard to decide which to add to our collection! Check them all out here to find your little one’s favorite! Once you decide on a family (or two), head over here to pick out a house for them to call home and here to add some accessories in the mix, like an airplane or one of many themed play sets. The detail that is put into these toys is unbelievable. You and your little one will not be disappointed by the craftsmanship, I can promise you that. My daughter already has a long list of what families, accessories, and houses she wants next! The complete Li’l Woodzeez collection is available at your local Target store or online!

image1-7 — The Honeysuckle Sweets & Treats Food Truck is a multi-award winner for good reason!

Don’t forget to follow Li’l Woodzeez Instagram for new releases and updates!

– Casey

**Burrito Buzz received this product at low or no cost for the purpose of review or testing. No compensation for a positive review was provided. All product reviews are based 100% off of our personal experiences with a product and we never guarantee a positive review.**

Playful Dino from Manhattan Toy Co. {Review + Giveaway}

Published on November 16, 2016November 16, 2016 by Casey SehmLeave a comment

I’m going to be honest. I loathe baby toys. They’re way too loud for my liking and the songs are enough to make any parent go mad. Toys that require a million batteries over their lifetime or they need to be plugged in are the worst. Of course my youngest has a ton of these annoying toys, but I’ve been trying to build her “makes mommy happy” toy collection. So when I got the opportunity to review Manhattan Toy Co.’s Playful Dino, I couldn’t have been happier to add this awesome activity toy to our never-ending stash.

As you can probably tell, we love Manhattan Toy Co. We’ve reviewed a few of their products recently and we’ve been impressed by each and every one of them. You can check those reviews out here and here. The company itself is awesome, they strive to use wood from sustainable forests for all of their wooden toys. The design and quality of their toys are top notch and unlike anything I’ve seen on the market for children. Manhattan Toy Co.’s toys are all so fun, colorful, and engaging. The Playful Dino did not disappoint!

Both my 8 month old and 4 year old love their dino! The suggested age for the dino is 12+ months but my littlest one’s motor skills are advanced so she’s really loving all the activities it has to offer. Her eye-hand coordination is impressive as well, and this toy really helps foster that. There so many eye catching aspects to the dino; there are bead runs, peg mazes, gears, multiple play surfaces, and it’s beautifully painted. It’s sturdy enough to hold my 40 pounder who I caught standing on it, so it can withstand a great deal! It’s been great for both my busy bodies and I love watching my oldest show her little sister how it all works. It was super easy to assemble, too, just attach the tail and let your little ones go to town! See the Playful Dino in action below:

Manhattan Toy Co’s toys will definitely be on my shopping list this holiday season, not just for my girls, but the little ones in my family as well. There are so many awesome toys to choose from, you can check them out here and add them to your shopping list, too! The Playful Dino is a multiple award-winning toy, awards include an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award, Today’s Parent Top Toy Winner, Creative Child Preferred Choice Award – Motor Skills Development category, Parents’ Choice Award Recommended and recognized as San Diego Family Magazine’s Hottest 50 toys! I have to agree, Playful Dino gets a 5 out of 5 stars from me. At $68, it’s money well spent knowing this is a toy that is going to last (and not drive you insane). Purchase your own here!

We’ve teamed up with Manhattan Toy Co. again for a giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a $25 e-gift card, good toward anything (even a Playful Dino!) at ManhattanToy.com! Shipping is free, so you don’t have to worry about it coming out of the gift card! It’s easy to enter, just follow these steps:

Follow both @burritobuzz and @manhattantoy on Instagram.
Like the giveaway post.
Tag friends you think would like to win, too!
That’s it

This giveaway ends Saturday, November 19, 2016 at 12pm EST. The winner will be chosen randomly and will be announced on the original giveaway post within 24 hours. Winner will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Goodluck! **This giveaway is in no way sponsored or endorsed by Instagram.**

Don’t forget to follow Manhattan Toy Co. on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter to stay up to date on sales and new products!

– Casey

Magnutto Make a Mood {Review}

Published on November 10, 2016November 8, 2016 by Casey SehmLeave a comment

Kids don’t know how to deal with their emotions. That’s why they throw tantrums when they don’t get what they want or hit when they don’t get their way. Their little brains aren’t capable of knowing how to respond as an adult would and we all know how frustrating it can be for both the parents and child. My four year old can throw a tantrum with the best of them and she’s perfected her on-the-ground-kicking-and-screaming meltdown. We’ve been trying to work on talking through our feelings rather than just crying and screaming, and it’s been helping. So when I got the chance to review Neat-Oh! International’s Magnutto Make a Mood magnetic toy, I was so excited to see if it helped my little one learn emotions and moods and how to express them.

Magnutto Make a Mood is designed to help identify, express, and respond to feeling and emotions and so far, it’s doing a great job with my daughter. She uses the thick, foam magnets to create facial expressions. The sturdy box opens to a magnetic easel and closes to store all the magnets. Activity cards (in 3 languages – English, Spanish, and French) are included in the box to role play and a list of example facial expressions. I love that I can ask questions about emotions and really engage my daugher in conversation about how she’s feeling.

Features

Includes 100+ magnets, two activity cards, and easel box.
Sturdy easel box opens to a magnetic easel and closes to store all the magnets when play is done
Educational role play suggested activities included
Low strength, safe, thick foam magnets.
Fully Printed
Tested to the most stringent quality and safety standard
Product Dimensions: 10.5″ x 8″ x 1.75″

My daughter and I have been having lots of fun talking about our emotions and making expressions together. I’ll even make a face and ask her to make a face out of the magnets, it always comes out pretty silly! Make a Mood isn’t just about emotions, I like to think it’s like a “paper doll” but for the face. There are different eyes and eye color, hair colors, earrings, noses, mouths, glasses, and more, so you can make make lots of faces and expressions. Magnutto also offers Make a Pet and Make a Dino sets, so you can animals and dinosaurs! The quality is outstanding and the foam pieces will hold up even with the roughest of kids. Shop all Magnutto sets here. Your little ones will love these engaging and fun sets!

The Magnutto sets have also been given Oppenheim Toy Portfolio’s Platinum Seal, which is the highest honor given by the independent consumer organization! They were also honored with a SNAP award (Special Needs Adaptable Product), given to products that can be used by or easily adapted for children with special needs.

Be sure to follow Neat-Oh! on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter for new products and sales!

– Casey

Tri-Side Learn & Play Art Center from Little Partners {Review}

Published on September 1, 2016August 31, 2016 by Casey Sehm1 Comment

My oldest daughter, who will turn four later this month, loves anything artsy-fartsy. Whether it’s coloring with crayons, colored pencils, markers or random pens she finds in the junk drawer (my fault), painting (especially on things she’s not supposed to), making things with Play Doh and clay, I really try to foster anything that she can do using her creativity. I also try to mesh learning and creativity together by including letters and numbers when we’re coloring or painting. So, I was thrilled when I got the opportunity to review the Tri-Side Learn & Play Art Center ($179.99) from Little Partners.

Little Partners is a company that makes products that enrich little ones and help nurture the relationship between parents and their children. The Tri-Side Learn & Play Art Center is designed to encourage young artists with special places to paint, color and play. There are three sides: a chalk board, felt board and a magnetic dry erase board. Underneath the dry erase board is a set of four spill-proof paint containers, making cleanup a breeze after a fun paint session. There are ledges under each board to organize all of your little one’s art supplies to make it easy for them to find and use. Included: a roll of paper, an eraser (used for both the chalkboard and dry erase board) and four paint containers.

FIrst thing’s first, we adore this easel. It’s super sturdy and I love that it’s made of real wood (layered pine) so it is made to last. My daughter (and my husband and I, too) have been having a blast painting, coloring, and playing on the boards together- we’ve been playing a lot of Hangman which brings back memories of playing in school. I’m trying to find letters, numbers and shapes for the felt board because there is a deep mesh holder under the felt board that can hold a lot and I think they’d be a fantastic learning tool. So if anyone knows where I can find some at a good price, please let me know in the comments! Each board is independently height adjustable, so it’s perfect for little ones to grow with. The paint cups are awesome and truly spill proof making clean up after my daughter paints her Picasso so easy. I love how this easel has really encouraged my daughter to be creative and use her imagination even more, she’s been having so much fun. It will be great to have this winter when we’re cooped up in the playroom.

There is one down fall. If you have ever purchased anything from Ikea, you know how difficult and time consuming it is to put it together. That is the comparison my husband used after putting the art center together. It took him over two hours to finally get it all put together (I offered to do it myself but he insisted and I’m so glad I didn’t have to do it). His biggest complaint was the labeling of the parts. They are labeled by numbers but certain pieces were labeled incorrectly, which took more time to find. Some of the screws didn’t fit the holes in the wood so he had to make the holes bigger by hand, again, taking up more time. He said it was a pain in the butt to get it together but he’s happy with the outcome and loves that our daughter is having so much fun with it. However, he said he will never take it apart.

All in all, I am very impressed with the art center, so I’m giving it a 4 out of 5 stars (only because of the problems my husband ran into while assembling it). The quality is superb and will definitely last, even after being beaten up by children. Check out the Little Partners website to see all of their amazing products like the popular Learning Tower and 3-in-1 Growing Step Stool, along with other great products! And you’re in luck if you’re interested in a Tri-Side Learn & Play Art Center for your little one! It’s on sale now through Labor Day for $149.99 (down from ($179.99). Click here to purchase!

Be sure to follow Little Partners on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram to stay updated with sales and new products!

– Casey

**BurritoBuzz received these products at low or no cost for the purpose of review or testing. No compensation for a positive review was provided. All product reviews are based 100% off of our personal experiences and we never guarantee a positive review.**

Why I Let Her Cry

Published on February 8, 2016February 8, 2016 by Casey SehmLeave a comment

My almost 3.5 year old loves milk. She’s obsessed with it and probably drinks way too much throughout the day. She’s Miss Independent and helps herself to the refrigerator and grabs her prefilled sippy cup (if there is one) and is on her way. I guess she could be drinking too much juice or pop like some kids, so milk doesn’t seem all that bad in my opinion. But this morning’s tantrum wasn’t about not getting the milk she wanted, but because it wasn’t in her Little Mermaid cup. It was in the sink, needing washed from the night before. The screams and cries that came out of my precious little girl’s mouth were ones I honestly don’t think I had ever heard before. All of this, over a freaking cup. I admit I have a really short fuse and get frustrated easier than I’d like. Maybe it’s due to being almost 9 months pregnant or the fact my dad has the worst temper (which leads me to believe my daughter inherited that lovely trait from him, and I), but I can’t take the crying and screaming and before long, I’m yelling (I hate that I yell), and I’m acting just like her. This morning, though, I somehow kept my cool. After all, she was clearly an irrational 3.5 year old, losing her shit over which cup her milk was in. I was busy organizing the junk drawer in the kitchen and she was sprawled out on the floor by my feet thrashing about. I calmy picked her up, walked into her room and sat her on the edge of her bed (where she sits in time out or when’s acting out, so she can calm down) and I walked out. She sat there screaming her face off for about ten more minutes, which might have been a personal record for her, until her cries started to subside. That was my cue to go in and have a talk with her about her bahavior.

I waited until she could breath, let alone talk, so we could have a conversation about why she was so upset about that cup. I kneeled next to her bed so I could look her in the eyes. I always try to get on her level, so she can understand me, and shows she has my full attention and I (mostly) have hers. I made sure I listened to her and told her it’s okay to get upset. We were bestfriends again within minutes and she came out of her room and asked for her milk (that was still not in her Little Mermaid Cup). Looking back, I see that this is a life lesson for her and for me.
Just because she has tantrums like this (epecially over really small things),it doesn’t mean I should give in. It would have been a lot easier for me to just wash the cup and give it to her. The tears would have stopped and we would not have had to endure 20 minutes of screaming and crying. But what does that show her? If I scream, cry and throw a fit I’ll get what I want? No, that’s not how life works. And I learned that being calm in the situation rather than fueling the fire of a pissed off toddler. So by letting her cry rather than giving in, I’m helping us both learn important lessons. But I also learned that if you turn the radio up a little bit, it helps drown out the screams just enough for you not to lose your mind.

– Casey