This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for stopping by! Congrats to Paula H, Amber and Bridget C!

Sunny Days…Ok…so I’ve been singing this with my little boy the past few days (giggle!).  I grew up watching Sesame Street.  In fact, my mother tells me that at the time, it’s really the only television show she’d let me watch.  My son loves watching the show and his favorite character is Elmo. My mother-in-law gave my son my husband’s stuffed Elmo from when he was a child.  My point is, Sesame Street has been around a long time (40 years to be exact) and a lot of history has been made.  It’s interesting to watch the same show we watched as children with my son.

On November 6, 2009, Sesame Street:  40 Years of Sunny Days will be released on DVD.  Since I haven’t seen it yet, here is a little more information from the site:

For 40 years, sunny days have swept the clouds away and inspired preschoolers to learn, grow and achieve their highest potential.  Relive the best-of-the-best when SESAME STREET: 40 YEARS OF SUNNY DAYS debuts as a two-disc DVD set November 10 from Vivendi Entertainment and Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organization behind Sesame Street. Premiering on November 10, 1969, Sesame Street is the longest running children’s series and “…arguably, the most important children’s program in the history of television” (Newsweek.com). Featuring nearly six hours of everyone’s favorite Sesame Street stories, songs, Muppets™ and celebrity segments, the SESAME STREET: 40 YEARS OF SUNNY DAYS collectible set spans the renowned show’s four decades, includes never-before-seen archival footage and a limited-edition hard covered commemorative book.

I am so excited about seeing this.  I have no idea if I’ll remember any of the episodes but it’s going to be fun reliving those memories.  Tomorrow is the release (did you happen to see Google yesterday and today?) and the two-disc set will be available for $29.93.

Win It! Two of you will win a copy of this DVD and one of you will win a copy of the DVD PLUS a copy of Sesame Street: A Celebration – 40 Years Of Life On The Street.  Simply leave me a comment with your favorite Sesame Street moment.  Comments will close on November 20, 2009 at 10 PM PST.  One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

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My son FINALLY got to meet his favorite furry red monster today!  We had a fun-filled day in Los Angeles at Hollywood and Highland and got a chance to see Sesame Street Presents:  The Body.  This hands-on, interactive exhibit will get your child moving as he/she discover the ins and outs of the body.  Here is a little more information about this attraction:

Get to know what’s under your skin at Sesame Street Presents: The Body, an amazing new educational attraction featuring Elmo, Oscar, Grover and the rest of your Sesame Street friends. This new interactive exhibition teaches children how their bodies work and how to keep them healthy as they hop, jump, run and dance their way through this hands-on Sesame Street adventure.

The exhibit is divided into 5 main areas, Sesame Street, Your Outsides, Your Insides, How You Work, and Staying Healthy.  Included is a guide that allows parents to expound upon the topics raised during their exploration.  What makes this exhibit attractive to kids is the tie to familiar characters and the hands-on experience.  As soon as we walked in my son recognized Oscar the Grouch’s trash can and those famous steps to the 123 Building where he met and talked with Elmo. My son kicked a ball, learned all about brushing his teeth, combing his hair, and washing his hands, dressed Elmo, and got sneezed on.  We “pumped” the heart, inflated the lungs, and even experienced the entire process of digestion (from food to poop!).  My favorite part, of course, was the Count Organ’s Organ where we learned all about our vital organs.  My son’s favorite part?  Super Grover’s Obstacle Course, of course. This is a padded (thankfully) area where kids can climb, slide, crawl, jump, and generally just release energy!  I think the best part of this exhibit is the fact that it teaches kids important lessons on how to take care of their body.  Mr. Hooper’s Store is the place where children can shop for healthy foods and learn about the importance of a healthy diet. My son spent almost as long in the store as he did playing in the Obstacle Course.  Here are some pictures I took at the event:

Sesame Street Presents:  The Body, ends it’s tour in Los Angeles on April 26th but be sure to check out their site for an update on where they’re headed next!

Information:  The exhibit is designed for children ages 2-8 and tickets are $10 (accompanying adult is free).

This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by!  The winners are Deb K, Amy, and Heather G.  Congrats!

Ahoy mates!  (cheesy?)  My son’s favorite furry red monster is back for more adventures in his latest debut…Elmo and The Bookaneers:  Pirates Who Love to Read.  Elmo AND books?  My son is sooo there!  Bert, Ernie, Abby and your favorite Sesame Street friends will join Elmo in his reading adventure! Here is a little more information about the latest release fromt the site:

The Bookaneers led by Tina Fey have come ashore on Sesame Street and they want to plunder Elmo’s bookshelf.  When Elmo finds out how much they love to read, he can’t wait to become a bookaneer himself.  Can he pass the test and help them find their treature?  In ‘Elmo’s World:  Books,’ Elmo invites you to learn all about the books he treasures.  Sing along with Abby in a song about something she treasures:  words!  Bert and Ernie are also on the hunt for treasure in an episode from the fantastic new claymation series ‘Bert and Ernie’s GreatAdventures.’

Elmo And The Bookaneers: Pirates Who Love To Read debuts April 21, 2009 and will be available for purchase (MRSP $14.93).

Win It! I have 3 copies of Elmo And The Bookaneers:  Pirates Who Love To Read to give away!  Simple head on over to Sesame Workshop and come back to leave me a comment with something you liked or learned on the site.  Comments will close on May 2, 2009 at 10 PM PST.  One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

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Vote for your favorite classic Sesame Street clip to be included in a DVD compilation due out later this year and leave a comment.  The clip with the most votes will be featured in Sesame Street:  40 Years of Sunny Days. This must be done before April 28th and comments left after that date won’t be counted  (obviously this is on the honor system but it’s really neat so you should check it out!)

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I, like many of you, grew up watching Sesame Street.  My son absolutely adores Sesame Street (I know, I know…I’m violating AAP’s number one rule!).  He especially loves Play With Me, Sesame.  I must be naive but I really never thought about the fact that children all over the world watch Sesame Street too!

About a month ago, Putumayo Kids released Sesame Street Playground, a CD/DVD set which features songs and music videos from Sesame Street productions around the world.  The mission of Putumayo Kids and Sesame Workshop is to reach children around the world and help them gain an understanding and respect for other cultures.

This our first exposure to music by Putumayo Kids and we love it!  I play it in the car all the time for my son who laughs and tries very hard to “tell me all about it” (he is a babbling toddler).  I think he’s most fascinated by the music videos we’ve watched on the acommpanying DVD.  The music is rich, upbeat and ethnic with a truly diverse feel.  You and your children will recognize many of the songs including Rubber Duckie sung in Chinese, the Sesame Street Theme sung in Dutch, and Elmo’s song sung in English.  The CD features songs from Brazil, France, China, India, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands, Palestine, Russia, South Africa, Tanzania, and the US, all of which were produced in the country of origin.  The DVD is a compilation of 5 music videos with characters developed to reflect the diversity of children in each respective country.

I truly believe in exposing children to different cultures at a young age and I think this CD/DVD set does a great job of introducing cultural concepts to children in a familiar way.  The other day I left the CD in the car and it was playing while I was driving (without my son) and I never turned it off!  Kudos to that!  You can purchase Sesame Street Playground on the site for $14.98.  Be sure to listen to clips and watch a preview of the video on the site.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf5rHMQLdVo&hl=en&fs=1]

*Update*
This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you so much for stopping by.  The winners are Terra Heck, Janet F., Cindi, Catherine KingChuparkoff, and Marilyn. Congratulations!

If your children watch Noggin, they may have seen Pinky Dinky Doo, an animated series created by Jim Jinkins to support early literacy skills.  On October 21, 2008, Pink Dinky Doo is coming to DVD from Genius Products and Sesame Workshop. Be sure to stop by after the release date for my review. Here is a little teaser:

“Bigger is always better when it comes to the imagination and stories of Pinky Dinky Doo. Pinky dances her way to a cardboard Story Box to come up with hilarious and often-wacky solutions to any problems that arise.  In the company of her lovable little brother Tyler, and adorable pet guinea pig, Mr. Guinea Pig, Pinky invites children to participate in her interactive songs and games.   Pinky’s funny and fantastic stories, games and songs promote reading skills, while also encouraging children to strengthen vocabulary skills and learning comprehension in an entertaining way.  Polka Dot Pox includes four episodes, each with two twelve-minute stories plus interactive games.”

You can watch a preview here.

You can purchase Pinky Dinky Doo for $14.93 directly on the site.

Win It!  5 readers will win a copy of Pinky Dinky Doo!   Head on over to the Sesame Street Store and take a look around.  Come back and leave me a comment with the name of another product your child might enjoy.  Comments will close on October 22, 2008 at 10 pm PST and I will announce the winner here the following day. One comment per person, please. US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.  That means you can gain up to a total of three entries!

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

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It is in playing, and perhaps only in playing, that the child is free to be creative.

Donald Winnicott

You don’t understand how excited I was when Team Mom notified me of the opportunity to review the all-new Sesame Street Building Sets by K’NEX!  First off, my son absolutely adores Sesame Street…particularly Play With Me Sesame.  Secondly, my son loves to take things apart and try to put them back together…yes…even at his young age!  So when I opened the package and pulled out the Ernie Building Set, it was out of my hands before I could give it a second look (toddlers are grabby that way and everything is “mine”).  We have had a lot of fun over the past week playing with the building set…me putting it together…him taking it apart and then trying to put it back together again.  

As my son gets older, I find him getting bored easily with toys and gravitating towards books more and more.  He’ll take a book, place it in my hand, and sit in my lap, expectantly waiting for me to read to him. I have had to be creative about the types of toys I buy for him.  I wholeheartedly believe that toys should be fun and educational and the Sesame Street Building Sets do both very well.  The sets come in characters that children are familiar with and that is what sparks their interest and curiousity.

The Sesame Street Building Sets promote physical, social-emotional, cognitive, and language development. The sets can be played by your child alone or with someone else and it’s actually encouraged that he/she do both.  The sets are designed for preschoolers ages 2 and up.  

Our set came with 15 pieces, a set of stickers, and an activity sheet detailing ways to engage in active play. The Ernie storage canister is handy for keeping the pieces from getting lost behind the couch in one place.  The Sesame Street Building Sets retail from $10.99-$31.99 and can be purchased directly on the site or a local retailer in your area.  

Thank you Team Mom and K’NEX for this review opportunity!

It is in playing, and perhaps only in playing, that the child is free to be creative.

Donald Winnicott

You don’t understand how excited I was when Team Mom notified me of the opportunity to review the all-new Sesame Street Building Sets by K’NEX!  First off, my son absolutely adores Sesame Street…particularly Play With Me Sesame.  Secondly, my son loves to take things apart and try to put them back together…yes…even at his young age!  So when I opened the package and pulled out the Ernie Building Set, it was out of my hands before I could give it a second look (toddlers are grabby that way and everything is “mine”).  We have had a lot of fun over the past week playing with the building set…me putting it together…him taking it apart and then trying to put it back together again.  

As my son gets older, I find him getting bored easily with toys and gravitating towards books more and more.  He’ll take a book, place it in my hand, and sit in my lap, expectantly waiting for me to read to him. I have had to be creative about the types of toys I buy for him.  I wholeheartedly believe that toys should be fun and educational and the Sesame Street Building Sets do both very well.  The sets come in characters that children are familiar with and that is what sparks their interest and curiousity.

The Sesame Street Building Sets promote physical, social-emotional, cognitive, and language development. The sets can be played by your child alone or with someone else and it’s actually encouraged that he/she do both.  The sets are designed for preschoolers ages 2 and up.  

Our set came with 15 pieces, a set of stickers, and an activity sheet detailing ways to engage in active play. The Ernie storage canister is handy for keeping the pieces from getting lost behind the couch in one place.  The Sesame Street Building Sets retail from $10.99-$31.99 and can be purchased directly on the site or a local retailer in your area.  

Thank you Team Mom and K’NEX for this review opportunity!