It Hugs Back is a 4 Piece U.K. band on 4AD Records. Their music is uplifting while being soft and dreamy. Workday is not my favorite song of theirs, but it has an excellent video to accompany it. To hear more songs, check out the It Hugs Back MySpace Page.
Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the actual post link here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava’s Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.
Until recently, Zen had never owned a real puzzle. He has a few puzzle-like toys with pieces that play music, but he is too young for any of the peg puzzles we had seen in the past. The puzzle was created by a brand called Guidecraft.
We did not pick this toy for our son, but rather had the toy picked out by members of a team of specialists and mothers. This team belongs to a company called Ebeanstalk. The toy was chosen based on Zen’s age, gender, and the developmental milestones he has reached. Here is some info from the company..
Ebeanstalk is a website dedicated to selecting great toys for 1 year olds and toys for 2 year olds. They have a team of moms and a team of child experts that help them pick out toys by age, so you can be sure your child gets toys that have been specifically matched to his or her age!
When Ebeanstalk sent the puzzle, my wife and I were surprised by the quality since we had never heard of Guidecraft. The box informed us that they have been in business since 1964, and after looking them up, we learned that they have a fantastic website filled with educational toys and furniture. Judging by the quality of their Geometric Puzzle Board, I can understand how Guidecraft has stayed in business for such a long time. The toy has several wonderful features that make it perfect for a baby such as Zen.
The Geometric Puzzle Board is constructed of real wood and seems very durable. I like that the board is carved from one piece of wood so that no sections can come apart and pinch our child’s skin. This may seem like an obvious attribute in a wooden puzzle, but our older son has several wooden puzzles that are made out of multiple segmented pieces. Even though the box says it is for ages 18+, this Guidecraft puzzle is completely safe for all ages.
The pegs are carved and attached to the shapes using a single screw each. After a thorough washing, I had no problem with Zen putting the pieces in his mouth because there was nothing that could come dislodged to create a choking hazard. Another safety feature that I liked was that the board itself was rounded so there are no sharp corners. Safety is a huge concern with any toy, but the toy’s fun factor and educational value is also very important.
Most children love puzzles. Not only are they fun, they are also great for developing critical thinking skills. The Guidecraft Puzzle’s pegs are large and easy to grasp. This keeps Zen from becoming frustrated while he solves it.
Fitting the shapes into their proper places is enhancing Zen’s hand eye coordination as well as developing simple problem solving skills. There is also inherent educational value in the geometric puzzle pieces themselves.
We can verbalize the names of the puzzle’s five geometric shapes. This way Zen can associate the words with their meanings while he learns to speak and use language. The shapes are also painted different colors, so not only is our 10-month old son learning what a square looks like, he is also learning to recognize the color green.
I am very happy with the toy Ebeanstalk chose for Zen. The Geometric Puzzle board will provide him with several months of educational entertainment while he cultivates necessary skills. Perhaps most importantly, learning to solve a puzzle like this is giving Zen the confidence he will need to succeed at harder puzzles and tasks throughout his life.
Disclosure: Ebeanstalk provided me with the GEOMETRIC Puzzle Board for review purposes. No monetary compensation was received for this post, and the sample product in no way affected my opinion of the product. This article offers an honest opinion and has not been reviewed or edited by anyone other than Larry H. of Cakeblast.
Today is the Spring Equinox which is officially the first day of Spring! I was checking my email this morning and read that the Equinoxes are the only two times each year that an egg can be balanced on its end. Supposedly, I read, something to do with gravity and the position of the earth allows this to work.
Immediately, I set about testing this theory. Low and behold, it worked! I was so excited that I got out the camera and snapped photos. I then tried the experiment in other areas of the house. Amazingly, it is quite easy to do on this special day. I don’t know why egg balancing seemed so special, but it did.
Unfortunately, after taking pictures and telling my wife about this miracle of science and nature, I was told that egg balancing can be done all year long. I checked with Snopes and discovered it was true. The Spring Equinox egg-balancing myth originated in China when an egg on its end was considered a symbol of the balance of nature. The equinox is a day when the time between day and night is balanced, so this all made sense.
I uploaded my pictures anyway, and began my day feeling a little bit empty.. don’t worry, the emptiness was only in my stomach. My disappointment faded along with my hunger as I discovered the miracle of a hearty Spring Equinox breakfast. That is an act I am glad I can perform any day of year.
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However, if you follow my blog I will definitely check you out and follow back ASAP. I appreciate all of my visitors and am glad this meme has become so incredibly successful. Hope you had a great St. Patricks Day.
Happy Friday Follow!
However, I will definitely check you out and follow back. I appreciate all of my visitors and am glad this meme has become so incredibly successful. Hope you had a great St. Patricks Day. Happy Friday Follow!
Until recently, Zen had never owned a real puzzle. He has a few puzzle-like toys with pieces that play music, but he is too young for any of the peg puzzles we had seen in the past. The puzzle was created by a brand called Guidecraft.
Today is the Spring Equinox which is officially the first day of Spring! I was checking my email this morning and read that the Equinoxes are the only two times each year that an egg can be balanced on its end. Supposedly, I read, something to do with gravity and the position of the earth allows this to work.
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