LeapFrog Read With Me Scout - Perfect Christmas Gift - Review

From the minute the LeapFrog Read With Me Scout arrived (he also has a sister called Violet) it was love at first sight for Aaron, even when he was still in the box!

It's an educational toy we have had both had a lot of fun with.  We have had it since November 12th so I can give you an honest account of the last few weeks.

It comes with 5 hard back small books that are actually great in their own right.  

1. Let's Go Camping
2. Let's Find Scout's Toy
3. Let's Have a Party
4. Let's Cheer Up Eli
5. Let's Learn About The Weather

The books are sensitively written.  The one about emotions is so cute, and perfect for Aaron who is very thoughtful and observant of moods.  We also enjoyed the one about the weather as we talk about the weather everyday.  The party book is great for learning colours. Aaron's not great when I ask him to look for something, so I like him reading "Let's find Scout's Toy" in the hope he might copy the searching skills :-)  Let's Go Camping teaches them their numbers.

Although it is a toy aimed at 3-5 year olds, I'd say it is best bought when the child is no older that 3.  I only fear that if the child was older, they'd find it a little baby-ish.  With that said Aaron is 3.5 years exactly (June 2010 baby) and he LOVES it.  He's known his colours for over a year, but is just learning to visually recognise numbers.  Plus until now he has always wanted me to read TO him but now he is independent enough to sit with Scout and read with HIM.  Except of course when he is in need of a cuddle or being a threenager!

Things I'll say about Scout:

• There is a volume switch on his belly - just move the velcro out of the way.
• The on off switch is on his dog collar and easy for little ones to use/access themselves.  They tend to whack it to on, but halfway across there is a lovely lullaby setting for bedtime stories (so you don't need to pat his head everytime you turn a page).
• The books are colourful and fun.  Aaron took to the toy from the second it arrived.
• There's a beautiful rhythm to the stories, that we have both enjoyed.
• Aaron now recognises his numbers but when it first arrived he would choose the book, and then know which button on Scout's collar to press from the colours on the buttons/books.  He can happily do this without parental supervision.
• If you have an early reader/pre-schooler in your house, or one you'd like to buy a Christmas present for, I can honestly wholeheartedly recommend it.
• One of his paws plays songs and these are lovely

The day I took the below video, Aaron was in typical threenager mode, and wasn't being at all cooperative, but this toy still broke the mood and turned him around.  It's a God send in that respect, look:

You can purchase the LeapFrog Read with Me Scout at the LeapFrog Store online for £29.99, where you will find the following information:

Read With Me Scout

Read With Me Scout is a playful toy pup that reads and asks questions. It's an interactive get ready-to-read toy that's doggone fun! Scout reads from the five included board books, and engages children by asking questions throughout the story to help build comprehension skills.

Features
Scout features 5 interactive spots that respond to your touch. You can pet his back to answer questions; kiss his cheek and hear him say you're his best friend; press his left paw to hear songs; and press his right paw for more responses.

As Scout completes each page, he will ask the child 1 of 70+ different engagement and comprehension questions over the course of the 5-book set.

The 5 colourfully illustrated board books teach: 1) Rhyming—helps children learn about the sounds of language and build phonological awareness, 2) Learn-about—learn about the world through reading  3) Narrative—learn about how stories are put together, with characters, settings, and a sequence of events, 4) Pattern—learn with rhymes, refrains and repetition to predict what comes next, and 5) Concept—explore concepts like colours to label and classify new information.

Learning Difference
Research has demonstrated that the most effective read-alouds are those in which children are actively involved in asking and answering questions and making predictions rather than passively listening. Read with Me Scout features 5 different book genres that promote a range of strategies for an educational and cuddly introduction to reading.

Testimonial
“From reading aloud to reading along, Read With Me Violet reflects best practices in early reading instruction that help your child develop important language and comprehension skills critical for success in preschool and beyond.”
—Clement C., LeapFrog Learning Expert

Disclosure: we received this product in exchange for an honest review.  All words/opinions are our own apart from where indicated otherwise.

The Truth About Avocados

Some rights reserved by Janet Hudson

Avocados spark a surprisingly heated debated among healthy eaters. On one hand they are packed full of nutrients, high in fibre and contain a good helping of protein. But on the other hand, they contain a surprising amount of that dreaded word ‘fat’, about 75% in fact. And this is the reason most people think twice before reaching for the guacamole. 

However, it’s important to remember not all fat is bad. Healthy nutrition is all about the right balance and proportion of vitamins and nutrients, together an adequate amount of the three main food groups - carbohydrates, fats and protein. “An ounce of prevention saves a pound of cure” says Dr. Wendy Snell, a private GP at London clinic Blossoms Healthcare, and healthy eating is the first step.

When it comes to avocado nutrition, we need to look at two general food types - calorie dense foods and nutrition dense foods. High Calorie-Low Nutrition foods include most fatty fast foods, fizzy drinks and chips, and are basically “empty calories”. In order to get adequate nutrients in your body, you have to consume much higher quantities of these foods, meaning you are likely to go over your calorie limit. On the other hand, High Nutrition-Low Calorie foods, including berries, spinach and apples, will give you adequate levels of nutrients without pushing on your calorie limit.

Now, when it comes to avocados, these are both nutrition high and calorie high, which isn’t as bad as it sounds. You need a certain calorie intake to meet your body’s energy demands and avocados provide you with this, whilst at the same time topping up your nutrients and vitamins. For vegans and those who eat a lot of high nutrition low calorie foods, avocados are a staple part of their diet to provide them with sufficient calories needed for daily energy.

In the end, we need to remember calories are calories, no matter where they come from. 

Nutrition dense foods, regardless of their calorie value, are always the preferred option but again, within proportion. If you burn 2000 calories a day and eat 2000 calories then you’re at a pretty good balance and will be able to maintain a healthy weight. However, anything over this and you will find your body stores the surplus as fat. 

It all boils down to context and how much you eat of what types of food. 

Even if the extra food you consume is healthy, anything can be fattening if you eat in excess.
This is a commissioned post.

New Mum Fun. Guest post number 2 from Emily who blogs at Tea Lady Mumbles

The second in a series of guest posts where new mums online, share their Mum stories for #NewMumFun with me.  Enjoy!

Hi I'm Emily and I blog at www.tealadymumbles.co.uk. I am Mum to Nancy who is almost 10 months old. I started blogging in January this year (2013) and I started because I wanted to document how I experienced being a first time mum. I also wanted to share my experiences and pass on some advice I has come across about pregnancy and how I overcame an ectopic pregnancy. 

Was your labour everything you thought it would be?

I was 12 days overdue when I was admitted to be induced. 2 days and a bit later, and I had my little girl. Being induced was not a nice experience. Nothing in my birth plan happened! I wrote about my birth story on my blog ( http://www.tealadymumbles.co.uk/my-birth-story/) and I also also blogged about my feelings about the birth and what happened after - I was in hospital for almost a week due to feeding issues. It was a very stressful time for me and one I'd rather not experience again. 

Favourite products you couldn't live without?

I love my buggy - a baby jogger city mini GT. It has even great since the start, and should last until she is a toddler. It's so easy to use and fold down and fits in my tiny car boot! 

Muslin Squares - brilliant things that I use for everything! 

Bonjela Teething gel, calpol and ambesol - I always have these well stocked in my house for teething episodes!

Waitrose baby bottom butter - smells gorgeous and is so kind to baby's skin. 

Brother max bath sprinkler toy - this is so good, a toy and a scoop for water to wash them with, all at the same time. I love it, and so does Nancy. 

What do you wish you'd known prior to being a Mum?

I wish I'd known how difficult breastfeeding would be. I really struggled and I don't think the information they give you antenatally really prepares you at all for what breastfeeding is really like. I also wish I'd known a bit more about slings, and cloth nappies, as these are something I wish I'd tried from the beginning. I wish I'd been a bit braver and stuck to my own opinions and instincts, and not second guessed myself all the time! 

What you'd tell any Mum right now if they wanted top tips:

Follow your heart and your instincts, you are usually right.

There's no such thing as doing something 'wrong' when you're a mum. We all do things differently, it doesn't matter. 

Try getting out the house at least once a day - it makes all the difference.

I loved baby massage, it was a great first group to attend with Nancy. 

Anything you do differently, i.e. are you a Gina Ford or a Peaches Geldoff? 

I don't think I do things too differently. I guess I am a very laid back mum. I encourage Nancy to explore and experiment, and sometimes this includes things others may not let their baby use - for example the other day she wanted to eat off my fork, and recently we played with glitter. We are not very girly, Nancy doesn't dress up in frills or headbands (I've tried - she just takes them off and tries to destroy them!) and she hasn't worn any sort of shoe until very recently, as she has started to take a few steps. We don't care what colour her clothes are, she wears boys clothes as well as girls clothes, and she has a mix of toys from boyish to more girl focused. Nancy eats what we eat, we have done baby led weaning from the start, and she has taken to it really well. She has been bottle fed since 3.5 months, and she has a dummy she can't sleep without. We have a sequence of events, rather than a timetable or schedule. As long as she has her dinner, bath, bottle, bed routine at night, whatever the time, she will sleep. We just take each day as it comes, and take it from there really. I have taken bits and pieces of all sorts of methods and incorporated them into our lives. We take bits we like and give them a go. So far, so good! 

What's most rewarding about being a new Mum?

Surviving! Looking at your baby and knowing you're doing your best, they are clothed, fed, bathed, and happy, and you have done that for them. The sense of achievement and the bond you create, it's like a secret club and only you two know the secret language! I never thought a newborn baby would interact or give you anything back, so I was so surprised when I found out they do, they give you so much, and say so much even though they can't even speak! 

What's the biggest challenge? 

Sleepless nights, not knowing what to do to calm your baby, when they are upset. Feeling like you don't know the answers - you ask for advice and no one ever tells you what to do, you have to make the decision. Making decisions about your baby can be a big challenge - I'd never had to think about some of these things before such as immunisations, when hey are ill what to give them, what to feed them, etc. 

Does blogging give you access to an online village of Mums or is it a hobby? How is blogging part of your life as a new Mum?

Blogging has helped me so much, so has being part of an online community through twitter. I have made some real friends, people who I instantly connect with, through blogging, and having people give me advice and support, especially in the early days, was invaluable. I love blogging, I love the sense of community, friendship and support. I love that there is always someone out there who has been in your shoes, who can relate, and who can help you. I have also found it very cathartic to write about how I feel, to discuss my feelings honestly and openly, and to just get it out of my head. The fact that people have read these mumblings of mine still amazes me!  

Emily

Blogger and Tea Drinker Extraordinaire 

Blog: www.tealadymumbles.co.uk

Twitter: @ladyemsy (personal) @EmilyTealady (blog account)

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tealadymumbles

***

Thank you Emily I really enjoyed that.  Here's me and my Aaron when he was a newborn:

Drop me a line at liska BB at gmail dot com if you would like to join in the #NewMumFun