Enter by leaving a comment HERE and telling us which you would enjoy listening to with your child. The contest is open until Sunday, May 25, 2008.

You can receive a second entry by blogging about the contest (linking to it) or adding us to your blogroll. Just e-mail us with a live link or let us know you have it posted on your site. You do not need a blog to enter, just leave us your e-mail address so that we may contact you. As always, it is Props & Pans policy NOT to distribute any information you give us (including your e-mail). Thanks for entering!

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The Olympus Stylus 820 is the perfect digital camera for busy households, travelers and bloggers. It is small enough to carry in your pocket, lightweight and takes great pictures. With 5X optical zoom it captures the far away shots easily and has motion stabilizers for shaky hands. The shutter is lens cap free for simplicity.

The extra large hyper crystal LCD screen is a must have for those of us that have vision issues- it makes looking through a view finder obsolete. Plus the video capabilities are user friendly and the short video footage I have taken is as nice as the bigger video cameras.

The only negative feedback I have is that the rechargeable battery life is too short. I would suggest keeping an extra fully charged battery on hand because once the battery is low there is little warning before it is lights out. At just under $300 this little gem works wonders. Thanks to the Olympus Stylus 820 I do not miss schlepping my big SLR camera with me and for a die hard SLR user that is a bold statement!

by Helene

When I first received the Nickelodeon Sleepytime Lullabies I was immediately impressed by the variety of artists that it had on it. Plus I was thrilled to see some favorites, including Blackbird and Dream a Little Dream. With thoughts of the Beatles floating in my head I popped it in and at first was disappointed to hear muzak versions. But I kept listening and after a bit I grew to appreciate the gentleness of how soothing it really was.

I guess the original versions wouldn’t really have made good lullabies anyway. The last song on the cd is “One Magic Kiss” by Brandi Carlile and I loved it. Now I’ve got Sleepytime Lullabies in the cd player in the kid’s room and I get to listen to it on the baby monitor as I go to sleep too!

by Andi

Ever heard of soap on a rope? What about soap in a sponge? Well the second one is the best invention ever. I recently came across Spongeables, which are these cute fun shaped sponges that are already filled with soap. An ordinary shower becomes a lot easier and a lot more relaxing with this invention. Plus they make ducks and other cute shapes for kids to use.

Spongeables exfoliate and moisturize all in one simple step. The seem to last for weeks without running out of bubbles, but you can easily squirt some of your own soap on them if needed. The sponges state on the package how many washes they are guarenteed to last for and they even make pedi-scrubs specifically for your feet. This is a new must have in our shower!

by Emily

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Snacktime has 24 songs that showcase the band’s trademark style, but also show the influence of a variety of artists, including my favorite “Eraser.” It is an ode to that simple device that helps us correct our mistakes, with obvious nods to Pink Floyd and Queen. My husband and six year old’s favorite is “The Ninjas,” a 45 second musing on those stealthy nighttime visitors, while my four year old loves “Vegetable Town.” It is the third movement in the Canadian Snacktime Trilogy, the first movement of which features cameos from some very recognizable voices. My eight year old loves the fun “Allergies.”

We’ve all learned a little something about the life cycle of a frog from the rather catchy “Polliwog in a Bog,” which we’ve found ourselves singing in the shower and the nonsequitur “Raisins” is one of the funniest songs I’ve ever heard. In short, this is a cd that every single member of your family will enjoy.

“Our collective kids now outnumber the band more than 2 to 1,” explains vocalist/guitarist Ed Robertson. “We set out to make a record that would be entertaining for them…not strictly a children’s record, but a record that children would really enjoy. Our kids are in to all kinds of music. They love the They Might Be Giants kids records, but they also love The Beatles, Fountains of Wayne, Randy Newman, Black Eyed Peas and Green Day. Making the focus about what our kids like was a truly liberating process and fun for the whole band.”

Their kids should be proud. Make sure you get this disc on its release date of May 6. I promise it will quickly become your favorite.

FREE DOWNLOAD

As a special treat for our Props and Pans readers, you can click here to download an MP3 of the song “7 8 9″ for free!

Written by Mary, who is a thirty-something SAHM of four under the age of eight. She is a lousy housekeeper, a voracious reader, and dabbles in art and music in various forms. She blogs to maintain her writing skills and her sanity in The Fish Pond.

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This collection is different from other children’s CD sets I’ve seen before. Aside from the 65 high-energy tunes that will keep kids dancing and moving, there are activities included within the boxed packaging. This was a huge surprise to me and the girls. There was a fold-out dance adventure board game and three other interactive games, including tic-tac-toe. All of the included activities fold nicely back into the square box it came packaged in, and is easy to store or travel with.

Despite all the options of games and dancing, my nieces enjoyed the reusable sticker sheets the most. We had Dora stickers all over the place! The set also included a Dora poster that they took home to hang on their wall. I let them take the entire collection home to continue listening to and playing with, because our son had no interest in Dora. They enjoyed it so much and were thrilled to keep it. From what I hear, they are still listening to the music daily and playing the games regularly.

Overall, I believe this is a great way to combine activities for children using a character they are interested in. There are so many options all within a 5 x 7 box. It would be great for road trips and keep little one’s busy while stimulating their minds with educational songs.

Props & Pans is giving one lucky reader a “Let’s Dance” collection set (including 3 music CD’s and the games mentioned above). The collection retails for around $29.99 and would make a great gift. To win you must leave a comment specifying which Dora character your child enjoys by Wednesday, March 26, 2008. You can receive a second entry by blogging about the contest (linking to it) or adding us to your blogroll. Just e-mail us with a live link or let us know you have us on your site.

You do not need a blog to enter, just leave us your e-mail address so that we may contact you. As always, it is Props & Pans policy NOT to distribute any information you give us (including your e-mail). Thanks for entering!

Written by Emily, who is a married working mother of a very energetic 5 year old son. They reside in Southern Indiana (a little too close to the Kentucky border). Someday she’d like to visit Intercourse, PA and have her picture taken with the welcome sign. She writes at her personal blog, Fenicle and loves free samples and trying new things!

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Our family recently viewed the Play With Me Sesame DVD collection. Since my toddlers love the Sesame Street characters we were thrilled to participate in the screening process. The DVD features short-length scenes and learning situations which are geared for holding the attention span of active minds. Our kids adore Elmo and they longed for him to be in every scene. We have already watched the DVD a few times and so far they have yet to get bored with information and images.

As a parent I appreciated the counting, alphabet recognition and color references throughout the series. We are constantly looking for ways to educate and entertain our children and these DVD’s do a great job of providing all the materials. I would highly recommend Sesame Street to other parents and I would be proud to give this product as a gift to other children. We have a few birthday parties coming up and this will make an excellent present for all genders.

by Helene

The Imagine With Me DVD will be available on March 11th and includes bonus CD-ROM interactive features. Props and Pans is giving away one DVD to a lucky reader. Please leave a comment here before Thursday, March 13th with your favorite Sesame Street character.

While cruising for a few last minute Christmas gifts in Barnes and Noble last year, I came across a gift for myself. It combined exercise and pain relief and included two small balls and an illustrated book. I was intrigued The Miracle Method boxed kit could offer so much for under $12. I decided if it helped at all with stretching back muscles that it would be worth it.

Once home I put this method to the test. I rested my shoulders on the grapefruit-sized balls as instructed by the guide and let my body sink into them. After about a minute I could tell that the pain and tension was draining from that area. There are also breathing exercises that will work in conjunction with this method. You can place the balls just about anywhere you feel the need for relief (back, head, knees, hip, elbow), then allow your body to either rest upon them, roll or rotate on them. I was generally impressed with the at-home relief it provided and try to use it once a week just to relieve tension.

by Emily

Elizabeth Mitchell, her husband, her little girl, and some of her friends have created three amazing albums for children. Covering songs from Woody Guthrie, Neil Young, Gillian Welch, and more, this is an album that both parents and children can enjoy together. Mitchell’s perfect voice mixed with the imperfect, but beautiful voices of the children on this album create unexpected magic in somewhat ordinary songs.

We can’t live a day without listening to You Are My Little Bird in our house. Singing and dancing are optional, but usually you just can’t help yourself.

by Canape

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It is an animated show featuring music, art and dance set to the attention span of wee ones. All the shows are based on the classics and are geared to help you introduce cultural subjects to your kids. The masterpieces of Miro, Leger and others are set to music and come to life on screen in the Art Show. Dancing images inspired by George Balanchine, Martha Graham, Pilobolus and other famous choreographers fill the room in the Dance Show. The cartoon animal orchestra is lead by a cute maestro baby conductor and the cheerful animals in the audience, are savoring the musical program featuring Tchaikovsky, Bach, Mozart Berlin, Ellington and Puccini during the Music Show!

It is no wonder to me that this show has won a Peabody Award and three Emmy Awards. HBO gets huge props for creating the Classical Baby vignettes that are just long enough to let you get dinner started, take a bathroom break or return a phone call. Free from violence, commercial messages and filled with learning, these Classical Baby shows are simply perfect.

Written by Helene, who is a “fly by the seat of her pants” mom with 6 kids, well really 7 if you count her husband. She is a die-hard bargain shopper, designer-clad domestic diva who writes reviews to maintain a sense of sanity and unleash her creative side. You can also keep up with their busy family at their blog.

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Lemonsquare, a new band on the preschool scene, is dedicated to making music that doesn’t nauseate parents. As one of these targeted parents I found Lemonsquare a tad kooky, but my son was fascinated and actually educated. With his auditory processing delays he has trouble following the music for his age group (Dan Zanes), but was immediately sucked into the “Lemonsquare Shuffle” and “I Found It” (while listening he found all of his body parts).

Do I recommend them? Yes, Lemonsquare is great for kids who need language help (because of the repetition), who are auditory learners (or have delays like my son) and for the younger preschool crowds (because it’s so quirky). Definitely recommended for the 2-3 age ranges.

by Marcie

The slew of pop music being generated for children continues to baffle me. In a yuppie-fied society we embrace politically correct terms like “age appropriate” when making musical choices for our children, as though songs about brushing your teeth and eating your green vegetables will make them stand-up citizens.

We received a copy of the Lemonsquare CD to review recently. There is a lot to say about it, but I’ll try to be concise. Is it offensive? No. Your children will not be harmed by this music. They also won’t be intellectually challenged or have their ears opened to new sounds. It isn’t peppy like your Laurie Berkner style kid music, but it does try. And it isn’t that it’s bad, it simply has a very Springsteen-like quality of just naming things that are going on without being interesting. For example, name all the things you do to prepare a bath for your kids. Now, set it to music.

My five year old liked it well enough but wasn’t really interested. Maybe because even kids know that songs about things you have to do, can’t be dressed up as fun. Children’s music does not have to parent for us, but if you were going to use it as such this album conveys positive values and behaviors that are innocent with upbeat tempos.

by Gidge

I love a way to contribute to a worthy cause and enjoy new music that is a change from the CD’s currently found in my minivan. The Lemonsquare disc does both. My kids are young enough that we will listen to just about anything while in their car seats, so asking for their opinion does not count. I liked the CD based on the lyrics and happy sound of the music. The main vocalist has a pleasant voice that was a soothing. This is kid-friendly music that I highly recommend!

by Helene

Lemonsquare is graciously giving away two copies of their music album. To win you must leave a comment and specify which song you think your child would like best. Comments will be open until Monday, February 25th. You do not need a blog to enter, just leave us your e-mail address so that we may contact you. As always, it is Props & Pans policy NOT to distribute any information you give us (including your e-mail). Thanks for entering!

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My 5 year old has out grown The Backyardigans TV show on Nickelodeon, but there was a stretch there where all we heard was their theme song. He was excited to play the music in his own cd player, and listen to it while playing in his room. He was entertained to say the least and it didn’t take very many rounds to learn the words.

The album features 22 songs and covers everything from jazz to hip-hop and zydeco to arena rock. At least they break free from the normal kid’s music, which after a few of the same songs you’re ready to scream.

What you don’t know about this album is that they feature some super cool artists. Alicia Keys brings her R&B vocals on “Almost Everything is Boinga,” which is my favorite on the album. Other artists include Cyndi Lauper who brings a little jazz to the table, and Adam Pascal who engages us with rock-opera.

No matter how you spin it, the music is fun spirited, enjoyable for all ages and simply makes you smile. Born to Play will be released on January 22, 2008 and should be available online and in retail stores everywhere. I also give Nickelodeon and Sony BMG props for using eco-friendly recycled sleeve and avoiding all the wasteful plastic casing.

You don’t have to take our word for it, you can WIN A COPY of your own. Just leave a comment by Saturday, January 19th at midnight (EST) and we’ll have one sent your way!

Written by Emily, who is a married working mother of a very energetic 5 year old son. They reside in Southern Indiana (a little too close to the Kentucky border). Someday she’d like to visit Intercourse, PA and have her picture taken with the welcome sign. She writes at her personal blog, Fenicle and loves free samples and trying new things!

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