Toys – BurritoBuzz

Play & Go {Product Review}

Published on November 30, 2017November 29, 2017 by KirstynVelez- www.BurritoBuzz.comLeave a comment

Getting our kids to clean up there toys is always a tedious, argumentative task. Cayden’s new thing is “I can’t carry them all”- to which I typically have him use his shirt as a “pouch” and I fill it up. It’s cute- but it’s annoying.

I was thrilled when offered to review the Play & Go. It’s a play mat, storage system that when flat acts as the play mat, and when it’s done being utilized, a draw string cinches the sack together and cleans everything up.

Cayden loves cars. He loves racing them around, driving them, making roads and lining them all up. What he doesn’t like is cleaning them up.

The Play & Go mat didn’t change that, but helped it not be such an argument. We received the Play & Go Roadmap print and Cayden loved it. He immediately went and got his cars while I flattened the mat out in the living room.

Now, this thing is huge! 55″ in diameter to be exact and the material is high quality, thick, polycotton canvas so durability isn’t even a concern.

The size is great as a play mat, but isn’t small hand friendly. Cayden, who is 4.5, couldn’t cinch it together by himself. I had no problem helping him, but would love to see something easier for smaller hands.

Overall what I don’t like, is the draw string system. There are two places to pull the drawstring and with a 4.5 foot diameter, it leaves a weird taco shaped ordeal, not the “sack” I was hoping for. I think if it had 4 places to pull to cinch it closed, it would be better and close more efficiently.

Price wise, you’re looking around $40 for the regular sized and they do offer a Mini which is only $20. It is the same concept, same material, but only 15″ in diameter. It works great in the car for travel toys, a quick snack holder for park trips, or every a makeup bag. Play & Go has a color and design for everyone. Their Classic Collection offers 8 solid colors, the Print Collection offers 14 fun (yet subtle) prints, and their Designer Collection offers 5 choices including a “Color Your Own”. The Mini Play & Go is only available in 2 prints- either Cherrys or Thunderbolts.

You can find this versatile product on Amazon, in select speciality stores or you can send an email to info@hotalinginc.com where they can take you order and ship it direct.

Love the concept and the size. Not a fan of the seemingly ineffective draw string and think it would be more effective with 4 handles instead of 2.

4 out of 5 stars.

Kirstyn

**Burritobuzz received this product free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are that of my own and no compensation was provided or offered in exchange for a positive review**

VertiPlay™ Wall Toys from Oribel {Toy Review}

Published on February 1, 2017February 2, 2017 by Casey SehmLeave a comment

It’s been over a month since Christmas and I don’t know about you, but I’m still feeling the overwhelming wrath of my kids’ new toys. Each year, I clean out and donate toys that they no longer play with to make room for the new stuff, but it’s still not enough. Their play room in the basement is littered with toys. I’ve stepped on so many little toys, at times I was positive I broke my foot. So when I was asked to review toy from Oribel, I was obviously hesitant. But but VertiPlay™ is unlike any game or toy children own, and the best part? They don’t add extra clutter on the floor and won’t be stepping on little pieces!

VertiPlay™ Wall Toys from Oribel are fun, whimsical toys that hang on the wall or door, allowing for free space on the floor but offering tons of fun! It’s a win-win for both mom and children! No more asking over and over for your kids to pick up their toys! Another plus? You won’t mind them on your wall! They’re visually appealing and simply add to your child’s bedroom or playroom decor. VertiPlay™ also gets your little ones up and gets their blood flowing as they stand at the wall to play and run around.

The designs are simple, engaging, and fun my little one loves her Busy Woodpecker ($19.90)! It was really easy to attach to the wall, I just wiped the spot clean, removed the back of the sticker, and attached it to the wall. Easy peasy. My little one loves tapping the the woodpecker’s tail (sometimes a little too much) to light up the the little bird’s house in the tree. The wooden windmills help with dexterity through fun play! There are many different designs and styles for a range of ages, from 9+ months to 3+ years, you can see them all here! The quality is superb, I would expect nothing less from Oribel! I adore their products. And while I haven’t removed our wall toy, it leaves no damage to the wall and is easy to peal off.

VertiPlay™ gets a 5 out of 5 stars from me. The price point of each set is just right and my daughter really loves playing with her woodpecker toy. If you’re ready to shop for your own VertiPlay™ Wall Toy, you can head to your local Babies R Us or shop online at Amazon and diapers.com. I will definitely be adding a few more wall toys to our playroom, as my oldest is a little jealous she didn’t get one! If you have an older child, I think the Goofy Moose is perfect for them! Be sure to follow Oribel on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new products and more, you won’t be disappointed with this fabulous company!

– 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.**

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

Finn + Emma {Review}

Published on January 9, 2017December 7, 2017 by Casey SehmLeave a comment

Pajamas are a huge deal in our house. My girls love their pajamas. It’s not easy to get them changed into regular clothes in the morning to start their day. They’d live in them if they could, but honestly, who wouldn’t? I know I would if I could. Jammies are so warm, cozy, and comfortable, pretty much everything I look for in everyday clothes! I recently had the opportunity to review an amazing modern organic children’s clothing brand, Finn + Emma. These are some of the coziest jams ever and they just keep getting softer with every wash!

While Finn + Emma offers a lot more than just pajamas, I had to try them first! All of their products are made of the finest organic cotton, with eco friendly dyes, and natural wood. As if Finn + Emma isn’t awesome enough, already, all of their garments and accessories are produced in fair trade settings that focus on social and economic independence for local people. I love companies that offer people fair wages and helps them provide a life for themselves and their families. Finn + Emma is a balance of stylish and sustainability and I love it!

The jams I picked out for my girls not only matched, but the print and colors went together perfectly! I’m not usually one for matching my 9 month old and my 4 year old, but when the clothes are this cute, I couldn’t deny my twin-mom fantasy any longer and had to get them to match! The Fairytale print is adorable and not only available in footies for littles and 2 piece sets for older kids, but a ton of matching clothing pieces, accessories, play gyms, and toys are available to complete this beautiful collection!

I have to give Finn + Emma jams 5 out of 5 stars! They’re so incredibly soft and luxurious, I’m kind of jealous! I really hope adult jammies will be available in the future, I will definitely buy a few pairs for myself! Check out all of the awesome products, like clothing and toys, Finn + Emma have to offer here. There’s something for everyone, on any budget. I can’t wait to buy more of their adorable clothes for my girls and gift some of their wooden toys to my expecting friends!

Be sure to follow Finn + Emma on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest for new releases, sales, and more!

– Casey

GeoSphere from GeoSmart {Review + Giveaway}

Published on November 21, 2016November 20, 2016 by Casey Sehm1 Comment

My daughter loves to build (and demolish) things. She loves Legos, blocks, anything that she can stack on top of each other until it’s taller than her, she loves. My brother, cousins, and I would play Legos for hours, so I share her love of building, too. But there are so many new construction toys on the market today that I would have killed to have when I was younger. One of those toys is GeoSmart, a magnetic construction toy, that is out of this world! I recently got the chance to review one of the GeoSmart sets and the whole family is in love with this amazing toy!

GeoSmart is a magnetic construction toy for children ages 5 and older (my daughter is 4 and she had no problem building with them). Each piece contains magnets that are protected by a double safety system, so the magnets can’t fall off. A stainless steel covers the strong magnets and locked onto an ABS core, which is then covered by durable polycarbonate housing. This new patented system makes GeoSmart a safer and stronger toy that offers a long lifetime and are super easy to clean. GeoSmart offers several different shapes in 9 bright and colorful colors. You can use squares, triangles, diamonds, rectangles, isosceles triangles, and trapezoids to create endless combinations and let your imagination run wild. Some sets come with unique pieces like wheels, lights, or remote controls so playtime is limitless! Some of the special elements Geosmart offers are:

Spinner: add motion to a simple construction. The spinner easily clicks onto every square piece.
Wheels: use your imagination and build cars with 4 wheels or 6 wheels
Tracks: build trucks with tracks!
Train connectors: build trailers you can easily connect to your vehicle and drive it around.
LED-Lights: light up your construction with one of the 6 LED colors. The panels easily click onto the squares.
Remote Control: drive around with your vehicle or make your construction spin automatically.

We received the GeoSphere set that comes with 31 pieces, including one spinner, 12 triangles, and 18 squares. Each set also comes with a book with structures you can build or you can build something original. They’re incredibly easy to build with and fun for everyone. My husband and I like to help our little one build more complex structures to get her little brain thinking. GeoSmart helps with spatial insight, hand-eye coordination, concentration, logical thinking, and allows kids to be creative. There are a lot of awesome sets to chose from, make sure you check them all out here and they can be purchased here on Amazon! I give GeoSmart 5 out of 5 stars. The sets are so fun and keeps my little one engaged. I will definitely be buying more sets this coming holiday season. GeoSmart sets make a great gifts for all the kids in your life!

We love GeoSmart so much, we’ve teamed up for a giveaway! One lucky winner will win a Solar Spinner set from GeoSmart! Follow these quick and easy steps to enter:

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

The giveaway begins Monday, November 21st at 12pm EST and ends Wednesday, November 23rd at 12pm EST. The winner will be announced on the original giveaway post within 24 hours. Goodluck! **This giveaway is not sponsored or endorsed by Instagram.**

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

– Casey

Malia’s House from Build & Imagine {Review}

Published on November 20, 2016November 19, 2016 by Casey SehmLeave a comment

Being the mom of a 4 year old and a new baby, my oldest spends way too much time on the iPad or in front of the TV. I know, I know. It’s not good and you’re supposed to limit screen time, but when I’m busy with the baby (it was much worse when she was first born), you have to do what you can to survive. I know she’s not the only one that’s constantly staring at a screen (TVs, tablets, smartphones, and computers are everywhere) and I know it’s hard to pull them away. But when you find a toy that does just that, gets them off of the tablet, away from the TV, and actually using their little brains to learn and play, you have to share it. I was recently given the opportunity to review an an absolutely amazing toy from Build & Imagine called Malia’s House and I can’t stress enough how awesome this product is. My daughter is obsessed and has been for about a week and a half now.

Build & Imagine StoryWalls are like building blocks meets dollhouse meets dress-up meets dolls for kids 4-8 years old. StoryWalls are magnetic playsets that contain colorfully illustrated scenes that can kids can build and decorate with magnetic accessories (like paperdolls) over and over again. They’re called StoryWalls because it’s like building a 3-D storybook setting, then jumping right into play! Each set include dolls to dress up, illustrated building panels that attach magnetically that create endless play! Dozens of magnetic accessories are also included to make your scene uniquely yours. With everything being magnetic, changing things up to create a new story is quick and easy! See Build & Imagine’s products in action below:

When we received Malia’s House, I honestly thought my daughter would play around with it for half an hour tops, as she seems to move on from activity to activity rather quickly (she takes after her father and can’t sit still for too long). So when I tell you she played at the kitchen table from 11AM until bathtime at 7PM (and did not watch the iPad once the entire time), I was completely and happily surprised. She absolutely loves Maila’s House! She loves building Malia and her friend Skylar a new house and creating different storylines for them based on the magnetic walls and adding decor. They’ll go to the beach together and forget the sunscreen, or they’ll plant fruits and veggies in the garden while drinking lemonade or put out the fire the cat started in the kitchen (these are actual storylines she has come up with). Her imagination literally runs wild and I love it! A four year old that wants to sit and play for hours on end and not want to look at a screen is priceless to me.

I give Malia’s House 5 out of 5 stars and I would recommend any one of the engaging playsets from Build & Imagine to anyone looking for a toy that’s different from the norm for their daughter or son. The panels are durable, even for the roughest of child, and easy for little hands to build with. And there are so many sets to choose from, check them all out here! With sets starting at $24.99 and an expansion packs starting at $8.99, there’s something for everyone’s budget!

Be sure to follow Build & Imagine on Facebook and Twitter!

– Casey

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

Manhattan Toy Storybook Castle {Review + Giveaway}

Published on October 24, 2016October 18, 2016 by Ryan + Kate Photography1 Comment

BurritoBuzz is gearing up to share some great reviews to help you with your 2016 Christmas shopping. We know, it’s too early for Christmas shopping, it’s not even Halloween! But we want to give you plenty of opportunity to read our reviews and enter our giveaways.

So here’s another really amazing toy: The Manhattan Toy Co. Storybook Castle

This castle is an award-winning toy and after seeing my toddler play with it, I can totally see why. The castle has quickly become one of my son’s favorite toys. We’ve been adding more and more wooden toys to our toy collection for a few reasons: they’re infinitely less obnoxious than the electronic plastic toys that seem to ceaselessly need batteries, they hold up exceptionally well, and they strongly promote fine motor skills.

Four quadrants of castle-themed activities features gliders, gears, bead runs, snapping crocodile and more to support motor development.

Ages 12 months+
Measures 18L x 20.8H x 18W in
Measures 45.3L x 52.7H x 45.3W cm
All wood toys have non-toxic water based finishes.
Surface wash only
This product meets or exceeds EN71 and CPSIA safety regulations
The castle runs around $100 and can be purchased here

I remember playing with wooden toys as a child and my dentist’s office had many of them. I actually looked forward to going to the dentist just so I could play with their cool toys. When I first started introducing wooden toys to my son, I assumed he would be disinterested because he had so many loud, engaging electronic toys. But I was so wrong. He plays with his wooden toys quite a bit more and they keep him busy. The intricate movements of the various moving parts really make him think.

This castle has four quadrants and each quadrant has moving parts. There are sliders, parts that twist, caricatures that spin or move forward, backward, and side to side. Each piece moves in a different way, meaning that toddlers have to spend some time figuring out the motions. All of my pieces worked quite fluidly, with the exception of the princess and knight that move along the main baseboard. For some reason those pieces were tight and didn’t move well. My son especially loved the sliding door and flag, as well as the crocodile attached to the main board.

Putting the castle together was a little more difficult than most, but it only took me around 30 minutes from start to finish. I struggled with the screws and just gave in to the power drill. The pieces all fit together perfectly, but because of the setup of the quadrants and the top screws, I found it awkward to fully get the top screws in.

Overall, this product is really thought out. My son has been engaged for hours upon hours playing with this castle. It’s the ideal height for him to sit, kneel, or even stand to play. It is sturdy, and is increasingly helping him with his fine motor skills.

Want to win the Storybook Castle?

Here’s your chance! Head over to our Instagram page here and follow these easy steps:

Like both @BurritoBuzz and @ManhattanToy, we will be triple checking!
Like our giveaway photo!
Tag as many friends as you want! But only one tag per comment please.
That’s it!

Giveaway will begin on October 24, 2016 and ends on October 31, 2016 at 8:00 PM EST. A winner will be announced shortly after. **This giveaway is not sponsored or endorsed by Instagram**

Good luck!

– Katie

My New Favorite Subscription Box for Little Ones: Bumby Box {Review}

Published on October 19, 2016October 19, 2016 by Casey SehmLeave a comment

I love subscription boxes. It feels like my birthday every time one shows up at my door because you never know what you’re going to get (kind of like a box of chocolates, am I right, Forrest Gump?). I’ve gotten so many subscription boxes over the years for myself, our dog Mesa, my husband, and of course my kids. My favorite boxes to get has to be the latter, because I love all of the neat products they offer. My girls come before myself (I’m sure any mom can agree) and are spoiled as can be, so they have gotten quite a few boxes from several different companies. They all had different kinds of products and I liked each for different reasons. But I just received a complimentary subscription box from Bumby Box and I was completely blown away with the products we got in it!

Not only was our box amazing, but the company itself is awesome. Bumby Box donates toys to non profit agencies that provide shelter and childcare to families when they need it the most. They also only work with and promote environmentally sustainable companies that treat their employees fairly and pay them fairly, too. Bumby Box focuses on child development and each toy that is sent is supported by child development research. The toys are safe; they’re free of phthalates, PVC, BPA, and other harmful plastics – I love that I don’t have to worry about harmful chemicals, and they are also careful to only select toys that are manufactured with water of soy-based inks and paints to their safe to play with and for little ones put them in their mouths (which we all know will happen).

We received our box almost two weeks ago and I opened it up as soon as it was dropped off (like I said, it feels like my birthday when I get a subscription box – they should be called surprise boxes instead), my daughter was actually still at school. I kind of felt bad but I was eager to see what she got! We got a super cute and fun Haba game called The Little Orchard that’s actually made in Germany. Here’s how to play: there’s a raven that loves the cherries hanging on the tree (there are 5 of them) and there are 5 spaces to the tree. You roll the dice with pictures of flowers on it and whichever flower appears, you flip over one of the matching tiles – one will have a picture of a cherry on it – which you then pick a cherry and put it in the basket, one will be have a raven on it – you then move the raven one spot closer to the tree, and one will have a sleeping animal on it – you then have to be very quite not to wake the animal up (my four year old prefers to yell at it to wake up). The idea is to pick all the cherries before the raven gets to the tree. I love it because it helps with memory, you have to remember where the raven and sleeping animal tiles are so you know not to pick the raven. It also helps with recognizing and naming the colors of the flowers and it’s a game that everyone fries to find the cherries together, so it helps foster the “we” concept. It’s for children ages 3-8 and can be played with 1 to 4 players. It’s one of our favorite games to play together!

We also received the cutest little mailbag from Child’s Cup Full, a company that offers educational children’s toys handcrafted by refugee and low income women artisans in the West Bank. At their artisan center, they train and employ talented women to make beautifully handmade educational toys. I love that they’re empowering women who live in such a male dominated part of the world. The little mail pouch is my daughter’s favorite toy that came in the box. It’s adorable and comes with little felt envelopes that can actually fit little letters or objects in and close with Velcro. The letter and envelopes even have a “stamp” sewn in the top right hand corner. She loves walking around and giving us our mail! Check it out the mailbag here and see the rest of Child’s Cup Full’s spectacular toys here here!

The final product in our box may be the coolest one in the box, So Awesome’s Emotion Wallet Cards! The wallet cards feature 36 photographs and 36 illustrations of different children showing how we’re feeling today. My daughter loves looking at them and going through and tell me what each picture shows, like the little girl is sad, or the little boy is angry. The deck is durable, non-toxic, educational, and perfect for kids of all ages. They’re intended to show children a wide range of emotions and to help strengthen social-emotional skills. The deck can easily be attached to a diaper bag, backpack, or a stroller so they can be taken anywhere. We like to use them when we’re waiting a the doctors or in line at the store, they make a good distraction for my 4 year old. Be sure to check out all of their amazing Wallet Cards (they have bundles, too) and products here!

This is the most thought out children’s subscription box I’ve ever seen. I feel like everything was chosen specifically for my daughter and I love that. You can check out past boxes to see what other products have been sent out to get more of an idea for what you can expect in a future box. I highly recommend Bumby Box and they will make great gifts for family and friends! To sign up for your own box and to see what I’m raving about, use code BUZZ10 for 10% off your $49.95 one month subscription or save with a 3 month subscription for only $99.95! Deliveries can be skipped at anytime, so you can choose when you want to get your box! Click here to sign up!

Follow Bumby Box on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter for special promotions!

– Casey

Keep Germs Away with CleanSmart Toy Disinfectant

Published on September 23, 2016September 22, 2016 by Casey SehmLeave a comment

As you know, cold and flu season is unfortunately upon is. With the changing of the weather and the start of the school year, illness is something that we can’t really ignore. My four year old started her second year of preschool last week and was kind enough to bring a cold home. My family of four all got runny noses, we were sneezing like crazy, had awful sinus pressure, coughing, and had watery eyes, including my poor 6 month old. She got hit the worst and is starting to feel better minus the never ending runny nose. Over the weekend she had a pretty high fever and was overall miserable. When babies get sick, you heart breaks because there’s not much you can do for them. Lots of cuddles and some tylenol to bring down the fever is about all you can do when they’re really young. So what can you do to help prevent the spread of germs when little ones always have toys in their mouths? I have found an amazing toy disinfectant from CleanSmart and I love it so much! I knew I had to share it with our readers!

CleanSmart makes products that are not harmful to people. There are no chemicals or chemical residue, harsh fumes, and the products are 100% natural – just salt and water is left behind after cleaning! There is zero toxicity and can be sprayed around anyone (babies, too). There are no allergy or asthma triggers in any of the products, so you can feel safe knowing what you’re using to clean and disinfect and know the products work! You won’t see any first aid labels on CleanSmart products because there are no hazards. What more could you want in a cleaning product? Watch here to learn about the CleanSmart difference:

I was looking for something to clean my children’s toys, especially with having more than one kid, germs spread entirely way too easy. If one is sick, the other will be soon. It’s just a fact. But I wanted something to help prevent illness as much as I could. Babies put everything in their mouths as we know and germs linger. CleanSmart Toy Disinfectant kills 99.9% of germs and cold and flu viruses, E. coli, salmonella, listeria, strep and RSV. The best part, you just spray and play! You can literally clean toys without rinsing right in front of your child. I often clean my little one’s exersaucer while she’s in it. It’s so easy and I love not having to think twice about using it around my kids. No gloves needed and you don’t have to have a crazy ventilation system (or open all the windows/doors in your house to air it out). It’s perfect to use with teething babies and after sick kids.

I love this product and look forward to purchasing more awesome products from CleanSmart, including their household disinfectants, hand cleansers and more products for my little ones: Pacifier Sanitizer ($4.99) and Nursery & High Chair Cleaner ($4.99). Products for little ones are now available at Babies R Us, so they’re easy to find! You can purchase all CleanSmart products on Amazon. The price point is perfect, $5.99 for the Toy Disinfectant. I’ve had it for about to months now, and I have about ⅔ of the bottle left so it does last a while. Because it’s not harmful, that doesn’t mean it should be left around children. Keep out of reach of children to keep them safe.

Connect with CleanSmart on Facebook and Twitter!

– Casey

B. toys {You Need Them!}

Published on September 15, 2016September 12, 2016 by Ryan + Kate PhotographyLeave a comment

I love playing with my 19 month old son. Sometimes, he’s more entertained by a cartoon than he is by me, but for the most part, he really enjoys to play. And when he gets a new toy? All the better. Watching the wheels turning in his head as he figures out how a new toy works is amazing to see. How truly astonishing it is to see these tiny beings start life unable to hold their own heads up, to being able to walk and run and play within such a short time.

So, as a family on a budget, I try to get him new toys every once in awhile so that we don’t break the bank. I love toys that are educational or sensory, and toys that are also sturdy and for a decent price. That’s where B. toys come in! B. toys is an award winning company, and their toys are coveted by parents for a reason: they truly are phenomenal. My experience with B. toys up to this point has been entirely positive. With Christmas creeping up pretty quickly already (I saw stockings out yesterday), I wanted to start giving parents some ideas for their little ones!

So let me start with a few of the basic “must haves.”

My son’s first B. toy set was the “One Two Squeeze” block set. This was one of his first gifts as a little guy. While he was really little at the time, he liked to chew on them (and everything else he could get his hands on). As he grew, he started to stack them and knock them over. Each one is numbered and a different color, and they also have sculpted animals and shapes. These remain one of his favorites to play with. Such a simple and fun toy, and he can sit and stack them and knock them over for a great length of time. Price: $10-$15, depending on where you purchase them.

A few months back, I purchased the “Alpha B. Tical” puzzle set. This helps children learn the alphabet, colors and sorting. Each letter block fits into a coordinating space. The spaces each have a photo that aligns with the letter. I remember having puzzles like this when I was little, so perhaps I was being nostalgic when I was purchased it. My son is a bit too young to truly get the hang of his ABC’s, but there’s no harm in starting early! And his sorting skills are pretty fantastic. Price: $15-$18.

My son is obsessed with toys that can be pulled along behind him on a string. So obsessive, that it’s a daily occurrence in our home for us all to be walking in circles for an hour with a puppy on a string. It’s probably his favorite activity and I’m not stopping him because it’s great for his physical activity (and mine). Up to this point, we’ve only had two drag-along dogs. I won’t mention the brand, but each of them is excessively obnoxious. One squeaks and the other is both loud against our wood flooring, in addition to it barking and singing as we go in circles. So when I discovered B. toys the “Happy Go Puppy,” I was incredibly anxious to give it a go. Their drag along dog is not electronic (a huge plus for me, no excess noise, no batteries), and the wheels have a rubber rim that allows for fairly quiet dragging. The string is the perfect length for a little one. My son initially had some issues dragging the puppy along without tipping it over, but he quickly got the hang of it and actually chooses this puppy over his other two loud ones (thank you, B. toys for saving some of my sanity). Price: around $10.

The “Bouncy Boing Bizzi” is super fun. This bumble bee jumper keeps my hyper guy entertained. He likes to carry it around from room to room. I’m not sure why he’s so entertained by the stinger on the bee’s rear end, but the whole toy cracks me up. It’s a great exaggeration of a bumble bee and seeing my toddler jump around on it is entertaining. The bee comes with a pump and it took a minute or two to get it blown up. The bee is extremely durable and seems to stand up rather well to even pretty rough play. It’s an adorable design and a great addition to our play room.

And last but not least, my very favorite, the “Zany Zoo” activity cube. I kid you not, I played with this activity cube for hours with my little guy when it first arrived. There is so much on this cube that he was enthralled by each new activity. All four sides have different activities that require coordination and intent. The top is a combination of movable animals and wooden blocks that glide back and forth. In the world we live in where it seems like “screen time” is the go-to activity, seeing my son so completely engaged with this wooden toy really made my heart happy. This activity cube is thought out so incredibly well. Each activity is engaging, but the level of detail is meticulous and well-planned. The corners of the cube and the small wooden doors are even rounded off to avoid nasty cuts and bruises should your little one fall. Price: $50-$75. And make sure you click through these photos to see each of the sides and features of the cube!

I could not be more pleased with B. toys. These are toys that are durable and can be passed down from generation to generation. Thank you to B. toys for creating such thoughtful toys to engage our little ones!

Like what you see?

Keep an eye out, we’ll be having a giveaway with B. toys soon!

– Katie

B. toys donates a portion of each toy purchase to Free the Children.

**BurritoBuzz received some of 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.**

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.**

SmartGames Puzzle Games {Review}

Published on August 28, 2016August 29, 2016 by Casey SehmLeave a comment

Before Candy Crush and other popular games you can play on cell phones and tablets, kids played regular old board games. When I was little, Monopoly Junior, Shoots and Ladders, and Candyland were some of my favorites (Monopoly is still my favorite as an adult). And now that my daughter is old enough to understand the concept of games, I am so excited to show her how fun games can be and introduce her to different games. I love that games can be competitive (a little competition is good) and she can learn so much. Little ones learn hand-eye coordination, dexterity, recognizing letters, numbers and colors, but most of all, they get to spend one-on-one time with you, their favorite person in the world.

Recently, I had the opportunity to review two games from an amazing company called SmartGames, and let me tell you, these games are smart! These aren’t your ordinary board games, they’re puzzles that challenge you mentally but they’re fun. Kids utilize skills from spatial insight to pattern recognition, while they improve their problem solving skills and their memory. SmartGames are made with the best quality of materials and they’re made to last; seriously, they’re fantastically crafted. The fun part is absolutely anyone can play!

The first game is my daughter’s favorite, Smart Car. Smart Car is a wooden puzzle game that challenges little ones to assemble the car with the included wooden pieces. They’ll learn concepts like “top view” and “side view” while also having fun. Included with the 3D puzzle is a booklet containing 48 challenges that range from easy to difficult. Ages 3-8 years old will have a blast, but it’s also fun for mom and dad. We have a lot of fun “playing” with this puzzle and I love that my daughter can look at the challenges and actually put the car together like the picture shown. She loves looking at the solution to compare and she gets excited when she sees she’s done it right.

The second games is my favorite, Little Red Riding Hood Deluxe. The concept of the games is you’re given a “map” of how to set up the board. You put Little Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf, Grandma’s House and the included trees where the challenge says to put them. Once the board it set up, you have to solve the puzzle by making two paths, one for the Wolf and one for Little Red Riding Hood, to get to Grandma’s house. This puzzle game is a lot of fun, my husband and I have been playing it when the kids go to sleep (don’t judge us). We timed each other to see who can figure out the paths faster. The puzzle includes a booklet with 48 challenges (24 with the Wolf and 24 without) that range from beginner to expert, 2 figurines, 5 path pieces, 3 trees and 1 house. A picture book of Little Red Riding Hood with a modern twist is also included which my daughter loves!

I give SmartGames a 5 out of 5 stars. I can’t wait to order more games for my girls! The quality is amazing and they can be passed down for generations because they’ll last. If you’re looking for fun but different games, not just the normal kid’s games, definitely check out SmartGames! They’re a lot of fun and they have so many different kinds of puzzles for ages 3+. SmartGamesLive is a website where you can play games online and you can also download game apps in the AppStore and GooglePlay! There are several ways to play these awesome games!

Be sure to follow SmartGames on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram for new releases and sales!

– Casey

8 Annoying Toys for Babies & Toddlers

Published on August 13, 2016August 9, 2016 by Casey SehmLeave a comment

When you become a parent, you also become an expert on all things that are annoying. It just comes with the territory. I think toy companies create the most annoying toys for babies and toddlers to drive their parents insane. Literally. Whether or not you buy these annoying toys, or if you try to keep them out of your house, they’ll still likely end up in you child’s toy box thanks to birthdays, holidays or from grandparents who love to spoil their grandchildren. As a mom to an almost four year old and four month old, I’m remembering all of the annoying baby toys my oldest used to have (and thought I got rid of forever) because they’ve once again popped up in our toy boxes. Here is a list of the most annoying toys (baby and toddler) according to me:

Brilliant Basics Corn Popper by Fisher-Price – you all know why this is at the top of the list. It is possibly the most annoying toy ever created (thanks Fisher-Price!) Baby just pushes it and pop, pop, pop, pop, pop goes the balls. It. Never. Ends. If someone gifts your child this toy, they secretly despise you.
See n’ Say by Fisher-Price – it seems like Fisher-Price makes several toys that torment parents. This toy is decades old, I remember annoying my mom with it as a child. Point the arrow at an animal and pull the lever down to hear what animal is is and what is says. You’ll hear “the cow goes moooooooooooooo” over and over and over.
Any kind of musical instrument – this is self explanatory. I love music and my husband is a musician but we cannot stand hearing the our toddler’s toy instruments. Her keyboard, maracas, tambourine, drums and recorder (oh, the recorder is a nightmare) are often hidden because they’re just too much for us to hear all at once when our daughter is playing in her “band”.
Go Baby Go!™ 1-2-3 Crawl-Along Snail by Fisher-Price – another Fisher-Price toy, this snail would always start singing and lighting up when just sitting in the toy box with no one near it because there are no buttons to push to make it turn on. Simply touching it turns it on. Its songs and sound effects are highly annoying and my crazy kids absolutely love it.
Playskool Poppin’ Park Elefun Busy Ball Popper by Playskool – the fan noise this
thing projects is really annoying in and of itself but then it spits balls all over the place. My precious toddler loves throwing them at at me. They’re good for target practice I guess.
Doc McStuffins Musical Light-Up Microphone – my husband brought this home for our daughter about a month ago and I thank my lucky stars everyday that he did (I’m being totally sarcastic). This thing never freaking stops and it’s so loud that it wakes my sleeping baby during nap time when my oldest plays with it. It’s now hiding on the top shelf of her closet and won’t be found for some time.
My Pal Scout & Violet by Leapfrog – at first I loved this dog when my oldest got it as a gift a few years. I liked that it could be programmed with your child’s name so it could talk to them. But the buttons get jammed and the songs get stuck on one word or sound and it just repeats. The only way to stop it just turning it off or taking out the batteries. So annoying.
Shake & Sounds Learning Pup by VTech – the only thing I can’t stand about this puppy is the constant barking. It’s cute and my daughter loves to play with it (she even named it Pumpkin Bubble Gum) but it barks. All. The. Time.

This is by no means a complete list, because according to my husband, any toy that lights up and makes noise is annoying. This is just a small list of the most annoying toys (in my opinion) that we own or have owned. My husband and I often talk about taking the kids’ noisiest toys outside and going Office Space on their annoying asses.

If you have an annoying or noisy toy that you’d add to my list, let me know in the comments or tell us in the comments on this post on Facebook or Instagram! I know I am missing a lot and I’m curious which toys to stay away from!

– Casey

Baby Spring Float by SwimWays {Review}

Published on July 17, 2016July 14, 2016 by AmandaLeave a comment

I have been prepping like a mad woman for our end- of-summer vacation! Taking BK#1 &#2 on vacation is not going to be an easy task. I have been diligently researching and trying to make sure we have all the essentials to make this an enjoyable and fun vacation! I might be wound a little tight, but my anxiety kicks in and I kinda loose it thinking about a 10 hour car ride, miles of open play areas, sleeping arrangements, making sure we don’t forget anything, oh and safety!

Obviously, I have been looking into beach safety, but I have really been worried about the pool! We don’t have one at home, so my babies aren’t around them often. Besides that, they are 1 and 2! Rules don’t mean a whole lot to them right now! When I came across the SwimWays Baby Spring Float (Whale), I was so relieved! Most baby floats have a weight limit that my oldest child exceeds and usual pool floaties are only safe when your child is at least 30 pounds, so my toddler can’t use ones like the Puddle Jumper! SwimWays covered that 20-30 lbs gap that most floats don’t.

About the Spring Float:

No weight limit.. within reason. Don’t try and put your 4 year old in it.
Ages 9-24 months
It comes in different color patterns and they are all adorable!
Low seat provides secure center of gravity
It has their patented “inner spring” for better stability in the water.
Flat area around them to put toys on or to splash without flipping into the water.
Folds flat and compact for easy storage and portability – it’s perfect for travel! I was going to wait and post this review in my Beach Babies post, but it’s too awesome not to share now.
Very light and comes with a mesh storage bag.
Some styles comes with removable and adjustable sun canopy.

This float is priced fabulously! Only about $18. The construction of this float is superb and I’m sure it will hold up for a long time! Even though the price point is affordable, they didn’t skimp on quality.

While doing research on it, I found some people were upset because water got on top of the float. I didn’t have this problem, but I did see some photos where people didn’t blow up the little air pockets. It is designed like a pop up kid’s play tent, but you still have to inflate it! Be sure to follow the directions when you use it.

I am very happy with the Spring Float and it is definitely a must-have for summer! Keep a look out for an update on this post. I will probably add some more pictures when we use it at the beach!

– Amanda

{Jellycat} My Favorite Baby Shower Gift

Published on July 7, 2016July 6, 2016 by AmandaLeave a comment

I adore all things baby. I mean, who doesn’t? Baby clothes and toys are just adorable 100% of the time. When we had a shower for BK#1, we received our first Jellycat and I fell in love! Above is our little Jellycat collection.

Woodland Fox Woodland Owl Bashful Hippo Bashful Monkey

These are my favorite stuffed animals and the cutest ones I have ever come across. They are a cross between a beanie baby and a super plush stuffed animal. The hands and feet generally have the beanies and the rest is an amazingly plush body. I love that they are all an A-line design. Meaning that the neck is generally smaller than the rest of the body, making it really easy for a younger child to hold. They are the perfect size for a little one to carry around.

They are all suitable from birth!
Made of polyester, filled plastic pellets and all have plastic eyes
Spot clean only
They’re available in multiple sizes and styles. All of ours are 12 inches.

Besides being very lovable, Jellycat made them even better and matched them up with their own board books! Each character has its own book. They are all little sensory baby books, but BK#1 is two now and still asks me to read them on a daily basis!

I also have never had a stuffed animal that has held up this well! Technically, you aren’t supposed to wash them but we all know sometimes you have no other option. The monkey in the picture has been washed more times than I can count and it still looks and feels like its new! I honestly should buy a second monkey to have a backup because I don’t even want to think about what would happen if BK#1 didn’t have it to sleep with.

The price is based on the style and size but they are generally around $15-$25. The books are usually $12.50 but sometimes you can find a sale on Amazon or at your local boutique!

Visit Jellycat.com to see all of the styles and products that they carry.

If you have a baby sprinkle or shower coming up and can’t decide what to buy, a Jellycat stuffed animal and book set would be the perfect gift!

– Amanda

PlaSmart Wonky Wheels {Review}

Published on July 4, 2016July 2, 2016 by KirstynVelez- www.BurritoBuzz.comLeave a comment

More than a toy car!

We try to focus on non-electronic play frequently because C will literally sit and do the shape sorter game on his iPad all day if I let him. So anything that moves, makes noise, helps his motor skills, hand eye coordination or just stimulates his little toddler brain, is okay by me!

I received the Wonky Wheels from PlaSmart and it took C less than 30 seconds to figure it out! I told him to put his finger in the indention on top and then drive it around! He laughed and giggled the entire time while the car twisted and turned all over the kitchen floor. He was thrilled that it drove in circles and whichever way he pushed, it did something completely different. He got quite upset when it wouldn’t follow the roads on his car mat, but we quickly explained to him that it’s not supposed to!

The construction is very solid and well put together. He carries it with him almost everywhere and we have had no issues with it being dropped and breaking or paint chipping or peeling off.

It runs about $9.99, which seems like an ideal price point. Overall, Wonky Wheels are fabulous little toys. They would make a good addition to any little boy or girl’s birthday or holiday wish list!

Buy yours here: Finger Car Wonky Wheels, Red with White Stripe

– Kirstyn

Gun Safety In The Home

Published on July 3, 2016July 3, 2016 by AmandaLeave a comment

Self-defense is a very big part of my family’s life. My husband is in law enforcement and keeping our family safe is extremely important to us.

There is a lot of debate about gun control right now, but I am not going to get into that here. Owning a gun is your right and your choice. If your family makes that choice, it needs to be an safe and educated choice! BurritoBuzz is not taking a stance on your gun rights. This is merely an informational article.

I am personally not an expert. These safety tips are just from my family’s safety practices, years of education and experiences.

Twelve steps to safely have a gun in your home.

Always use a safe. Your safe should be specifically made for guns and it should only hold guns, you should have a completely different safe for personal belongings. Even if the kids know there are guns in the home, they shouldn’t know where the safe is or have any type of access to it even if they are within age of teaching gun safety. There should always be parental supervision even when teaching.
Gunvault GV1000S Mini Vault Standard Gun Safe This is a simple hand gun safe that we have. I really like it for two reasons. One, you can bolt it anywhere you want to conceal it and two, you don’t have to fumble around for keys. (There is a key provided, but not necessary to open)
Learn how to properly handle a firearm. Whether you take a CCW class or a small class at your local range, you need to learn about your personal gun to ensure proper safety and use make sure you are knowledgeable in your specific firearm.
Practice. You have a gun for emergencies. It is not going to do you any good if you don’t know how to handle it properly. I’m not saying you have to go to the range every weekend, but you should go at least once or twice so you feel comfortable having it in your home and now how to properly handle it.
Ease of access. The gun needs to be secured in a hidden safe but somewhere where you can get to it easily.
Teach everyone in your home about firearm safety. Read up on Project child safe and get here their free firearm safety kit!
Always unload and clean your gun after every use. Any firearm should also be cleaned on a regular basis even, when not in use, to keep it clean from dust and to prevent any rust.
All guns should be treated as if they were loaded. When not actually in use, remember to point it in a safe direction and be sure it is unloaded.
Keep your finger off the trigger.
Always keep your safety in place.
Your children and “Gun play”. It is a very real activity. Even if you don’t have any play guns in your own home, be sure to teach your children the difference between toy guns and real guns, because they may encounter “gun play” when you’re not around.
Talk to your children at a young age about gun safety. Teach them to do the following if they see a gun: “Stop. Don’t Touch. Find an adult to tell.” My husband carries a gun on him at times and my two year old knows not to touch it when it’s attached to daddy (or ever for that matter). Even if you aren’t going to have your gun around your children, please teach them those three steps. It is a simple lesson and it may save a life.
Check state and local laws for storage, transport, and securing requirements. Here is a great overview.

As parents, we are always worrying about our children. We are always worrying if we are doing the right or wrong thing for them. No matter how you do it, I can assure you that if you are taking steps to protect them, you are doing the right thing no matter how you choose to do protect them. If you choose to have a gun in your home, please do it safely! Guns are not toys or collectables. I will be sure to post more about gun safety at the end of this post. The more you educate yourself about this topic, the safer you and your family will be!

– Amanda

PlaSmart Smart Mat {Review}

Published on June 27, 2016June 27, 2016 by Ryan + Kate PhotographyLeave a comment

My 16 month old son loves his cars. Maybe almost as much as I loved playing cars with my younger brother when I was little. My brother and I had a cool car mat with streets and shops that we would play on for hours at a time. Though, it was located in his room instead of mine, which I still call bullshit on. As an adult, I hate real cars and how much they take from my bank account, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still love a good few hours of playing Hot Wheels with my son. I was thrilled that PlaSmart was sending BurritoBuzz some products, because I was really anxious to get one of their Smart Mats!

We set the Happyville Smart Mat up in our playroom and while my son doesn’t quite get the idea of the roads yet, he truly loves driving his cars on it. The mat is pretty large at 80 x 57 x 0.2 inches, which is way larger than the carpet one that I had when I was young.

It is lightweight, at only 2lbs and the base is made from EVA foam.

The graphics are phenomenal, and the ease of cleaning this mat makes it a great purchase (which I found out after my asshole cat decided to barf on it). The pattern does repeat three times, but most children won’t care or even notice.

This does take a few days to flatten out fully and it also needs to air out. The smell of paint/ink/chemicals when first opening this was extreme and made me a little wary but did go away within a day or two.

While I love the material and texture of the mat, it does damage very easily. My son has put several gouges into the mat already and if you have any pets with claws, you’re doomed and a carpet mat would probably be better for you. Still, toys endure wear and most things look like they’ve been abused after a toddler has played with them.

There is also another variation, the Traintown Smart Mat, that BurritoBuzz mom, Casey, received. She also agreed that it needed to air out for a day or two and the graphics are pretty awesome. Her little one likes to play with trains, so her little collection of trains were perfect to play with on her new mat. The graphics are printed three times on the train mat as well, but little Stella doesn’t mind. In fact she liked that mommy and daddy could both have the same “pink house” as she did.

Even with those few cons, I still think this mat is a great addition to our playroom. My son plays on this daily. The Happyville mat will run you around $25 and the Traintown mat is about $30, a pretty modest price for a car and train mat like this!

You can buy yours here:
Plasmart Happyville Smart Mat

Plasmart Traintown Smart Mat

JollyB Tree Building Blocks {Review}

Published on June 13, 2016June 13, 2016 by Casey Sehm1 Comment

I love finding new and unique educational toys for my three year old preschooler. Toys that keep her engaged and that gets her excited are winners in my book. Anything to keep her away from the TV and iPad, am I right? So when we connected with JollyB Toys on Instagram, I fell in love with their beautiful wooden educational toys. JollyB was kind enough to send one of their toys, Tree Building Blocks, for us to try. When it came, my daughter could not wait to get it open and start building.

It’s a really neat concept that helps with hand-eye coordination and fine motor skill development geared towards toddlers two years old and up. I just love wooden toys. They have an heirloom factor to me (so I can save them and pass it down to my children’s children). The set comes with a brown wooden base and a trunk, which is what you build from. It comes with 18 wooden branches, 40 beautifully colored leaves and 10 red grains that kids can build their tree with. Kids can play around with the branches and leaves to build various tree pattern and learn their colors when sorting the leaves. They also learn how about balance; if you put too many leaves and branches on one side, the tree can tip over. Their imagination can really run wild as there is no right or wrong way to build their trees. The possibilities are endless!

Pros:

Engaging and educational
Endless play, as there are unlimited ways to build
Multiple children can play at one time
Learn balance and grows interest of how to build things
Leaves can be sorted by color, another learning aspect
Fun for parents and children alike
Doubles as a cute decoration when not being played with

Cons:

Some holes in the branches don’t fit the leaves and grains
Leaves are heavy compared to the lightweight branches
Several leaves were stuck together (I was able to them pull apart but the paint is now messed up)

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I give this toy a 4 out of 5 stars, only because some of the holes don’t fit the leaves and grains. But overall, it’s super cute and fun. My toddler really enjoys it and has been asking to play with it multiple times a day. If you’re looking for a unique, educational and engaging toy for your toddler, consider the Tree Building blocks toy for JollyB. It was also make a great birthday or Christmas present (it’s coming fast!) for the little builder in your life! J0llyB makes so many fantastic wooden educational toys, be sure to check them all out on their website here!

Follow JollyB on Instagram, too, @JollyBforKids and on Facebook at Jolly B Toddler.

– Casey

The Shelfie {Product Review}

Published on February 4, 2016February 4, 2016 by Casey SehmLeave a comment

Bathtime is a favorite in our house. My 3 year old would sit in the tub until the water was freezing and her little toes and fingers were pruned beyond recognition if I let her. She loves to act like she’s deep sea diving for her little sea creatures and she often says the ‘waves’ are out of control in the ocean, so she puts her animals on the edge of the tub, causing water to go everywhere. Mommy does not like cleaning up water off the floor every night after bathtime, although I’m sure the floor welcomes a nightly cleaning. That is why I am so thankful I came across this genius product that not only I love, but my daughter loves as well. The Shelfie is a thick blue plastic shelf with about a 1 inch lip around and has 2 suction cups on each end (they’re really strong, too, and stick where you put them, even on the wall after bathtime) and adheres to the side of the tub. It allows little ones to be able to play on the edge of tub and it contains the water so you’re no longer cleaning up tons of water. However, it DOES NOT help protect your bathroom floor when your 3 year old decides to pore a bucket of water (twice) on it, as my daughter did the first night we used it. Luckily, she figured out that you cannot dump water on it, only play with her little animals and toys on it. She really loves being able to play on the side of the tub and even says it’s her animals ‘house’. When we’re not using it, I suction it to the wall or the tub so it’s out of the way, I don’t have to dry it every night and it’s always in reach for bathtime. If you’re tired of cleaning up sopping wet floors, check out The Shelfie. It’s now a must during every bath and it is super easy to use. I’m sure (sitting) babies would love to play on it as well. Again, just don’t let your little one(s) dump large amounts of water on it, you’ll be needing a lot of towels if you do! I would give this product 5 out of 5 stars, it really does chsnge the game of bathtime for us. If you get a chance, follow The Shelfie on Instagram @getashelfie and use the link below for more information and to order your own Shelfie!

Get your own Shelfie here!

– Casey

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

Yookidoo Stack n Spray Tub Fountain {Product Review}

Published on January 18, 2016January 19, 2016 by AmandaLeave a comment

Bath time is so important to your baby’s development! All of your baby’s senses are stimulated while in the tub. In our home bath time tends to be BK#1’s favorite time of the day, and I love finding new things to put in the bath with my babies to change it up from the usual rubber ducky.

Let me tell you, when we were little they certainly didn’t have bath toys like they do today. There are literally hundreds of options now!

This toy is absolutely amazing!!! I found it browsing on Babies ‘R Us, spending a gift card BK#1 got for Christmas.

The fountain is battery operated and jet powered. Even though it has a motor, it is very quiet and won’t startle your child. The base can attach to your tub to make it stay in place, but it also floats. (I read a few reviews where they detached the stabilizer and put it in a swimming pool!) It draws water up through the center and through the boats that are stacked. Your child can stack all the boats, or just one. It’s interchangeable so they can discover and do what they chose.

It is really sturdy, and not flimsy! I appreciate this, because toys these days are generally poorly made.

The pieces are all very bright and engaging!

After I showed BK#1 how it worked a few times, she easily did it all on her own.

No assembly required and very age appropriate! My 6 month old really likes it too, so I am sure it will end up being a favorite for years to come.

The ONLY down side to this toy is that it is battery operated. I don’t mind so much though, with two under two we have major stock in batteries. BK#1 has had it a little over 2 weeks now, and the batteries it came with are still going strong.

This is something I would purchase again, and I definitely recommend that you add it to any registry!!

~Amanda

VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker {Product Review}

Published on January 14, 2016January 14, 2016 by Megan Desiato - www.BurritoBuzz.comLeave a comment

I forgot how amazing this toy was until I got it back out for baby #2. It costs $29.88 on Amazon and it is absolutely worth every penny.

I love the versatility of this thing. My little guy is sitting up on his own now, so I can remove the front panel and he can sit and play with it. Once he does start to pull himself up to stand he can use it and then he will be off and running (hopefully walking first!) Amazon advertises the item to be “meant for babies and toddlers 9 months to 3 years old.” I guess my kiddos will be starting to fight over this one!

Here are some other cool features:

Wheels – I think it’s super important to note that this walker will move well on hard and carpeted flooring. We have both in our home, and I remember thinking how awesome this was with my daughter when she would walk with it. There are also adjustments on the rear wheels to add more tension so the walker will move slower. I noticed this helped especially when my daughter was a rookie walker.

Noise – this has everything from songs, short phrases, sounds, and music. This walker has a wide variety. On Amazon, it is advertised at having “over 70” different sound effects and songs. I never kept track, but I will say it is not one of the loud annoying toys I wish I could throw out!

Modes – The walker features 2 separate modes. One being a musical mode and the other a learning mode. I didn’t think I would really care that much about this feature, but I will say as my oldest grew, I found that we would use the music mode less and learning mode more because she could listen and understand.

Phone – My oldest loved the phone on the walker. It’s removable and makes sound effects to play along. It was the first thing she went for when I got it back out for my youngest and she is going to be 3 soon!

Activities – Along with the phone, there are several other activities on this walker that are in a farm theme. Rollers, gear spinners, removable shape sorters, light-up buttons, and piano keys are amongst the different items on the walker encouraging hours of play time and learning. Your little ones will be learning shapes, animals, colors, and songs as they play along. As your kiddos start to walk with the walker, it is actually motion-activated, so the panel will still be playing sounds and music as they are on the go.

Assembly – If I remember correctly, it was super easy to put together and batteries were included. It also is available in a pink version for the same price on Amazon. Can’t beat that! Everything is in bright colors and assembled well. We haven’t had any issues with stickers coming off or anything breaking on the walker.

I can honestly say that I can’t think of anything I don’t like about this toy. Some of the reviews I read before choosing this one talked about it being too light and tipping; my kids have not had this problem. I can’t say that my daughter never fell when she pushed it, but it was usually just because she was new to walking and it was never anything serious.

I think it’s a great buy for the cost and I’m excited to use it again for my second kiddo. If your little one has a first birthday coming up, I highly recommend this item!! Good job, VTech!

-Megan