Introduce preschoolers to the concept of sharing and fair play with this fun game. In the Noodleboro Fun Park game, kids visit the Ferris wheel, Log Flume, Circus, and more to earn sharing stars for the group. An audio CD and a storybook enhance game play.

This game for kids ages 4 and older uses a carnival to teach the concept of sharing with others. Sharing is often a big concern for parents, especially ones with multiple kids or kids who attend daycare so this game might be just what they are looking for. It consists of carnival rides and activities….a log ride, a Ferris wheel, a roller coaster, and circus tent. The pieces are all really well made and cute so that the game looks like a lot of fun right from the start, just like a carnival. You roll a die to find out which ride or carnival game you need to do and then if you “win” you get a token. If you win the log ride for example, by balancing a ball on a forked twig without letting it fall, you win. Each ride has a unique token and each player has to get all their tokens before the park closes. Cooperation and sharing comes into play because you have to do the same rides more than once and you may get extra tokens that other players don’t have. Since everyone loses if you can’t get out before closing time it gives players incentive to share tokens with other and get sharing stars in return.

My own kids loved playing this game. Every time we played I heard “Can we play again???!” The game is for kids 4 years and older and I think the hand-eye skills in at least one of the rides does require some skill that kids younger than 4 might not have yet. There are definitely small pieces that young children could choke on too.

Noodleboro also has a Learning to Listen Pizza Palace Game and a Learning About Manners Picnic Basket Game.

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Since moving to an urban community a couple of months ago, the kids have been spending more time skateboarding, walking to the park, and generally running about on the sidewalks.

So I was pretty excited to get a Skuut wooden balance bike.

I’ve never visited Scandinavia, but from books the kids and I have read together, biking is a way of life there, and kids start out with these wooden “balance bikes” before learning how to ride a “big bike”. No training wheels, the child learns how to balance using their feet so there’s no scary transition.

I thought my 3 and 5 year old girls would love the Skuut, but so far it’s been my 7 year old, who already rides a regular bike, who loves it. When it’s too cold to ride outside, he Skuuts around on the hardwood floors of the apartment!

I think the Skuut has an awesome, clean looking and attractive design. It took us about 5 minutes to put the bike together (it arrives in a flat pack box).

The design is simple but quite functional. The seat is adjustable as far as height, making it comfortable for a child from ages 2-5 (or a small 7 year old like mine – maximum weight is 70 pounds). It also easily angles back and forth for comfort.

And it’s darn cute! The thing looks good just hanging around which is all the better. Leave it to the Scandinavians to design something for kids that isn’t garish and ugly and plastic.

Another thing I noticed, and I’m not sure exactly what the wheels are made of (the website says they’re pneumatic rubber?), but they don’t stink like other rubber wheels. A plus since we store it in our apartment.

My son said about the bike:  “You pedal with it with your feet, it goes like 3 miles an hour and it lasts going for ten seconds or longer.”

My 5 year old said:  “It always doesn’t have wheels but it’s so easier. Sometimes I can balance on it but not really good of course. But I like the bike very, very much.”

Environmentalists would be impressed that Skuut, has partnered with Trees for the Future, and ensures that a tree is planted for every bike sold. Also notable is the fact that the bike won Dr. Toy’s 10 Best Active Products.

Kids like to be involved in the kitchen. They want to be a part of the action and it is a great place for learning and bonding. Kitchen stands are becoming a hot item among natural, attached moms because they make it so easy to bring the kids into the kitchen with us. Take a look at this review of the Kinder Perch, a sustainable US option that is much better than the learning Tower.