High Maintenance Mom

N received Cranium Cariboo for the holidays and played it 10 times each day for the first three days. We still play it and have switched from the beginner version to the advanced version. Caribou is a treasure hunt game where players take turns picking a card and then 'unlocking' doors to find all six balls needed to open the treasure chest. Doors are picked based on matching characteristics from the picked card to the door. For example, in the beginner game a card with a green number one on it would match an door with one object on it or a door with green objects on it. The key is then pressed into a 'keyhole' and the door opens to reveal if a ball has been found. Once a ball has been found, it is put into the treasure area. Because the game is started by dropping the balls into separate holes and shuffling the cards, each game is different. The only issue is that my kids want to play with the balls too so we have to talk about how the game balls are special and need to stay with the game...

"We have the good Legos at school", my son tells me as we look at all the fabulous Lego sets in their enticing boxes. "Which ones", I ask concentrating on picking a set I would like to build. "The ones without the instructions." It takes me about a minute to figure out, with B's help, that the "good ones" are any Legos in a big box that you can use to build whatever you want. At age five I was looking to graduate B from the Duplos to the "big kid Legos" but he didn't seem to want to relive my youth with me. The realization that he wanted a big box of pieces or in my mind, the aftermath of buying a few sets, loosing a few pieces, and putting everything that was left into a box, felt like waking rested from a coveted nap to a quiet house...

The new HMM picks include the LeapFrog Leapster® Learning Game System, My Book About Me, and MGA Play Smarter Cook'n Learn Kitchen.

LeapFrog's Leapster - We bought a Leapster before a hospital visit and it has been a huge success. We ended up waiting at the hospital for three hours in the morning and it was used for most of that time (we also read books together). Now that the Leapster is at home, both kids are using it. They love trying to collect carrots in the math and letters games that are included.

Here are a few of our top picks for the second half of the summer.

I recently realized I had stopped posting about the Top Picks until after I had switched the items so today there are two Top Picks posts. The theme for the February Top Picks is Valentines day. I've included a heart-shaped muffin/cake pan, a game my four year-old loves to play with his friends, and some of our all-time favorite bath items that are now available as a set.

eBeanstalk is a new company that will send you specially picked developmental toys four times a year (every three months). There are toy categories for newborns, one year-olds, two year-olds, three year-olds, and four year-olds. You can register for your children or for a friend (it makes for an easy gift). If you want to purchase gifts, you can buy packages ranging from about $50 to $300 for four toys a year or you can purchase individual toys...

The Target Dollar Spot has a bunch of travel games that are fun for kids. I bought the travel lap desk, a few of the magnetic games (bingo, checkers, tic-tac-toe, etc.), a magic pen coloring book, and a write-on wipe-off travel game. There are also decks of cards, sticker placemats, and workbooks for slightly older kids. We find these types of items to be great on trips. I also bought an inflatable pillow, which I brought with me on a recent six hour trip.

As I was trying to watch the SuperBowl, we were bringing out all the favorite toys so I thought I'd answer the post about games for different ages by listing some of Scavenger's favorites. S, 19 months, loves books with flaps, cars and anything he can push, magnetic puzzles, and a magnetic fishing set. Below are a few examples...

Looking for the perfect toy for your baby/toddler or a gift for a friend's? High Maintenance Mom and CuteLittleMe want to give two lucky High Maintenance Mom members a fabulous baby/toddler toy in the February giveaway. One Manuella elephant or one Pastel Toys wooden rabbit could be yours at the end of February...