The Back To School ’09 Guide is here to help with all those school needs – and wants! In this guide you will find the following: stylish duds, new kicks, packs & totes (bags, backpacks, lunch totes, and accessories), essentials (supplies – notebooks, folders, pencils, etc), computing, electronics & accessories, music & DVDs, organization & schedules, bath & grooming, just for fun, yummies (lunch box goodies & after school snacks), and books… as well as coupons codes and great shops for any additional Back To School shopping.
NOTE: Due to the amount of fabulous items submitted for the Back To School Guide and because I do not want to delay this awesome collection of Back To School goodness any longer, I am publishing it as is and will continue to add items…
STYLISH DUDS
Let kids create their own style with Tee Juice fabric markers. Use them on t-shirts, jeans, canvas, handbags, furniture, lampshades, and more. We got an assortment to try out and decided to get framed canvas that could then be hung on the wall. Tee Juice is available in eight colors and three tip sizes. $2.99-3.99 (individually); $14.99 (sets).
Be True To Ewe Giving Tee from Tiny Revolutionary: a portion of all sales goes to TrueChild, an organization working to make schools & the world a place where kids are free to be their true selves and are not hindered by “school bullies” or stereotypes. This green tee featuring sheep is as cute as it is eco-friendly (it is printed using 100% non-Phthalate, water based inks), comfy, and giving. Something cool: Information about the cause is printed on the inside of shirt. Other designs supporting other causes are also available. Available in sizes 2T – Youth 10. $30.00
Kota Couture’s selection of children’s clothing is adorably trendy, while also being comfy and breathable. Kota Couture features styles for infants and children up to size 6T. The boys white “Born To Rock” concert tee with fringe skull fabric guitar is just one of their Rock n Roll inspired designs. Many designs are available, including tops, outfits, and dresses. Tee, $26.
I just love the “oh snap” frog tee from the Trendy Tadpole boutique. It is simple, but fun and adorable. My son loves frogs, so it is an easy favorite, LOL. Another cute one says “These aren’t the parents I ordered.” Special deal: Use code wholesale and pay only $11 per shirt when you buy 3 or more. Available in long-sleeved & short-sleeve snapshirts (sizes 3-12 mo), lap tees (sizes 12-24 mo), and tees (2T –12 & women’s sm, med, lg, xl). $22.00
The “Ride It Like You Stole It” tee from Urban Bratz, featuring a child on a tricycle, is one of many vintage style infant & toddler tees geared toward hipster parents of toddlers who like to rock cool clothes on their kids. Sizes 3/6m – 4T. Available at Kitsel and other retailers. $28
Dittany Baby is “revolutionizing practical fashion” and these adorable SkidPants in the Razzle design is just one example. SkidPants were designed to shield baby’s arms and legs from the rug burns, scuffed elbows, and raw knees that they often suffer while learning to crawl, walk, and play. Effective & convenient, they also keep baby safe from other things such as cold and the sun’s UV rays. $8.00
IsABelt is a thin, strong and flexible clear plastic belt, that virtually disappears when worn, providing you with the assurance that all is secure without even knowing it’s there. IsABelt prevents back gap, slippage and of course, belt bulk and belt bulge. The line of IsABelt Jr. offers all the great features of the original IsABelt, but with fun, girly designs and are fully adjustable up to 34”. $17.95
IsABelt Jr. Fruity Couture
IsABelt Jr. D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S
IsABelt Jr. Skull & Lips
IsABelt Jr. Peace, Love & Happiness
Happy Panda’s Fierce Tee with a large yellow & orange flame on a black background adds some cute toughness to your toddler’s wardrobe, whether it is for daycare or fun at the park. The material is very soft and all Happy Panda clothing items are TAGLESS. Happy Panda specializes in clothing for “big and tall babies” and was featured in the book Made Here, Baby.
The Thanks Dad beach tee features a father and child walking hand-in-hand on the beach eliciting memories of lazy summer days spent together at the shore. Available in several colors and in sizes Child XS – Adult XXL. Ski tees are also available. $20 child, $25 adult.
NEW KICKS
Summer Soles - chic, one-of-a-kind fabric insoles uniquely designed for use in sandals and other open shoes to put an end to the general “slippery discomfort” often experienced with summer footwear. These removable strips are the first open shoe liners designed specifically for those who want discreet, stay-dry comfort, particularly the millions of people who suffer from plantar hyperhidrosis - sweaty feet. They are also for the untold millions who simply hate ’shoe squish’. Whether it’s shoe squish, slip or slosh you’re remedying, Summer Soles are pure paradise for little piggies everywhere. Shown: Women’s Ultra Absorbent and Softness Of Suede, fits sizes 5-11. Men’s styles also available. $8
Livie & Luca’s Emilio loafer, like their other stylishly adorable baby and toddler shoes, is lightweight, soft, super flexible and made by hand! The drawstring fabric bag is a nice touch and great for protecting the shoes when not in use or when giving as a gift. Livie & Luca’s funky & fashionable shoes are available in sizes 4-12. $44.00
Fit Flops Walkstar III is an evolution of the original, featuring dynamic topstitching on a sporty, streamlined leather upper and a soft microfiber lining for maximum comfort across the instep. Built with the patent-pending microwobbleboard midsole technology - which is proven to load your bottom and leg muscles more when you wear them- FitFlop sandals help you get a workout while you walk. A fun & fit shoe for teens & moms. Available in sizes 5-11. Other colors also available. $35-$60
PACKS & TOTES
Bags, Backpacks, Lunch Totes, and Accessories
TIP: It is recommended that backpacks (with their stuff inside) weigh no more than 10-15% of the child’s body weight.
A personalized metal lunchbox (featuring your child’s name!) from Frecklebox would make a nice touch as your child heads back to school. Available in numerous fun and trendy styles for boys and girls, it will help make lunchtime fun and help insure lunches aren’t mixed up! They measure 7?5/8″ w x 6″ h x 4″ d. $26.95
The Dome Thermal Lunch Tote (#3126) from Thirty-One: No need to feel like a geek just ‘cause you take your lunch to school. Everyone’s gonna fight for a seat next to you with this cute little bag. Keeps hot things hot, cold things cold. New wipeable fabric! Zipper closure. Measures approx. 12”x 61/2”x 33/4”. Choose from: Pink/Orange Stripe, Blue/Green Stripe, Blue/Green Medallion, Girl Paisley Medallion. Contact Thirty-One for personal assistance with your order, including ordering items not listed on the place an order page. Lunch tote, $
A plush animal key chain makes a cute backpack accessory, especially if child is going to school for the first time and leaving behind cherished toys. Of course, they are a fun addition for any age! These would also be great to make your child’s keys easier to find inside their backpack, $4.99
Pack some fun in their lunch with Kids Lunch Box Cards, available in five different themes (Camp Laughs, Eww That’s Gross, Real Looney Laws, Mystical Little People, It’s A Wacky World, and Riddles) with 5 cards per pack. “The treats that kids don’t eat” would make a great surprise or perhaps a new tradition. Get creative and use them elsewhere (backpacks, overnight bags, etc). $3.95-4.95.
Personalize backpacks, lunch totes and more with PakNaks – fun, soft, rubbery 3-D decorations. PakNak sent several our way and I have to say Donny The Dinosaur is my favorite – so cute! PakNaks are easy to attach to surfaces and switch out. The variety of ‘Naks seems almost endless and you’ll certainly find one (or five, LOL!) that your child would love for their backpack or lunch tote. Be sure to download the adorable free printable PakNak coloring book. Enter code PAK20 at checkout for 20% off. $3.99
The Rubbermaid All-In-One 20 piece set is great for getting better control of your cabinets (look for the Easy Find Lid system on Rubbermaid products) because it allows you to snap the lid on the bottom of each container, then nest the containers. Saves space & no more hunting for lids. The smaller containers in the set are perfect for lunch boxes & totes. Approximately $20.00.
A Dinosaurs Kids Back Pack from Hatley is just the thing to for kids to tote those books and essentials in style. Dinosaurs is one of several stylish designs (there’s really cute ones for girls too!). I especially like the compartments inside the front zippered pouch. The back of the backpack is lightly padded, as are the straps, which is a big plus. $29.99
The matching Dinosaurs Kids Lunch Tote from Hatley is just as stylish and fun as the backpack (all of their lunch totes have matching backpacks and umbrellas as well). The lunch totes are insulated; unzip around three sides so it can open completely; and features a thermos strap with Velcro. There is also a netted (breathable!) pocket inside that has a Velcro closure. $19.99
More options: Backpacks @ Sears and The Container Store,
ESSENTIALS
Supplies – Notebooks, folders, pencils, etc
Thirty-One’s Signature Clipboard with Neat little details like the bow make this so adorable! Be the most stylish girlie girl in math class with their Signature Clipboards. You’ll look smarter too. Vinyl personalization available. Measures approx. 9” x 12”. Contact Thirty-One for personal assistance with your order, including ordering items not listed on the place an order page. Signature Clipboard, $21.00
Personalized folders from Frecklebox (featuring your child’s name) keep homework organized in style and are sure to be one of a kind in your child’s class! The trendy designs are available for boys & girls and match the personalized spiral notebooks for a complete look. $4.95
For the complete look, check out the personalized notebooks from Frecklebox to match the personalized folders above. Kids love their name on things! There are some pretty cool designs available for boys and girls, so you are sure to find one that fits your child. No worries about mix-ups (unlike when several kids may all have solid green spirals) on these. These are also great as a fun notepad for Mom! $9.95
The Darling / Schoolio Von Hoolio school gear line at OfficeMax has some of the cutest dog-gone school supplies I’ve seen yet! They are available exclusively in-store. Several designs are available & what is seen in this picture as well as described below are not the only designs available for each item. $1.29 - $14.99
- 7 Pocket Expanding File: Plastic; holds 8.5”x11” & smaller papers; solid purple & purple/white heart pattern; elastic band loops over button on front to close securely; tabbed dividers; includes blank labels for tabs.
- 3-Ring Binder: 1.5” binder holds 8.5”x11” paper; large cupcake design on front bottom right corner & back bottom left corner, rest of outside is yellow back ground with swirls, bows, and white dots; inside is yellowish-orange and pink; 2 inside pockets.
- Pronged Folder: 2 pockets with business card insert on each; 3 prongs for hole-punched 8.5”x11” paper; cupcake / ribbon design similar to binder above, but in purple & lime green.
- Spiral Notebook: 70 sheets; wide-ruled; front & back covers have a plastic feel as opposed to light cardboard; another cupcake design – stripes & cupcakes cover front & back and in the middle of the front cover is a different cupcake graphic with a solid background immediately around it.
- Composition Books: These are a far cry from the black & white composition books that I remember. Although they have the basic non-design characteristics of a composition book (9.75”x7.5”, 100 sheets, wide ruled, the words “composition book” + lines to write name, subject, etc), these designs are very trendy and fun. One has a large cupcake and bird image on the front and solid pink on the back; another has a fun & busy pink and white design on front & back.
- Clipboard: Another item that is far removed from what I used in the past… this is certainly not the boring brown clipboard of days gone by. This one has a fun lime green pattern, and owl graphic, and teardrop shaped patches of patterns from other items in the line (the purple & white hearts, the busy pink and white design, orange/yellow/pink flowers, and a couple of solid colors). The design is repeated on the back of the clipboard. It is plastic, another change from the cardboard like feel of clipboards from the past.
- Pencil Box: Plastic; snap closure; approximately 8”x3”; this one is a solid orange – you can see others in the picture.
- Pencil Set: That pencil box might be a little lonely without the coordinating pencil set to go along with it. 13 pieces includes 8 pencils that match other designs in the series, 4 heart shaped solid color erasers, and a pencil sharpener matching the yellow / pink / orange flowers design.
- Memo Book: 5”x3”; hardback cover in yellow / pink / orange flowers design; large white plastic spirals binding the pages & cover; horizontally lined pages (as you see on index cards).
Master Lock’s Speed Dial Resettable Combination Locks (1500iD) is the world’s first combination lock that opens on up/down/left/right directional movements and is faster, easier and more secure than a standard combination lock; maximum security with anti-shim technology; combination can be reset to any number of movements in any sequence; 2″ (51mm) wide metal body can be opened one-handed without looking for ease of use; matching passcode indicators (letters, numbers, colors, shapes, symbols) are included for added customization – simply apply over arrows; hardened steel shackle for increased bolt cutter protection. List price: $12.69
Master Lock’s Keyless Resettable Combination Locks (1590) lets you set-your-own combination using 3 letters, numbers or a mix of both; operates with familiar right-left-right combination lock movement; is easy to change with reset tool included in the package; maximum security with anti-shim technology; 1-15/16″ (49mm) wide metal body with hardened steel shackle; and high precision dial “clicks” for accurate dialing. List price: $10.38
COMPUTING
This adorable Tadpole Computer Mouse from Fun Friends replaces any standard computer mouse for extra fun computing! With a 30″ retractable cord this mouse is sure to maintain comfortability and convenience. Other animals available. $9.99
Comfy Easy PC is a toddler’s first PC learning system, enabling him to learn and play with the PC as early as 12 months. Comfy’s educational and entertaining platform opens up a whole new world of interactive experiences. The unique system with its large colorful buttons and friendly animated characters inspires and motivates effective learning, and the specially designed software offers various levels of developmental learning that grows with the child, who will continuously enjoy and discover exciting and challenging activities. $79.99
ELECTRONICS & ACCESSORIES
Disney charms for cell phones and other portable devices can add a little fun & whimsy! There are many characters to choose from. Just loop the cord through the two holes on the top or side of your cell phone (or other device) or detach from the lanyard and use the clasp. $6.99
EDUCATIONAL TOOLS
The Bones Book & 24-Piece Skeleton by Stephen Cumbaa, ages 8-12: This educational classic has been updated with additional content and repackaged to give it a fresh, bold, contemporary look and form that makes it much easier to shelve and display. The 12-inch, 24-piece skeleton is realistically designed with moving joints, and can be displayed in its clear plastic bell jar. The book is packed with projects, experiments, and facts about all the systems of the human body. The focus, of course, is on the bones—what they are made of, how they grow, how they work. New is an expanded section on paleontology and fossil remains incorporating the latest news from the field, including the newly discovered hobbit-sized humans from the last Ice Age. This is a great gift for every kid, one that truly brings science to life. Approx $16.95 ($11.53 on Amazon)
Brain Quest For Threes, just one of the numerous Brain Quest Q&A Card Sets, invites you to join a little mouse named Molly, and watch your child blossom and grow! Help Molly find her way out of the maze. Count the flags in the Fourth of July parade. Plus look-alikes, ABCs, word associations, number games, “All Mixed Up” and “Can You Find Molly?” Here are 300 questions and answers in picture form that will help your child develop essential learning skills and get a smart start. Brain Quest offers card sets for different ages / grades as well as special topics. $10.95
The Vocabulary Power Series: Banish pesky spelling and definitions fears with the fun and handy Vocabulary Power series. Give your child vocabulary power and improve reading comprehension in 3 minutes a day. Learn faster – Score higher! Vocabulary Power for Grade Three features a vocabulary flip card guide with 200 words to know for grade 3. Help your third grader build reading skills with this companion full-color stand-up, stand-out guide. Each word and definition has been selected by professional language specialists. Full-color illustrations, pronunciation guides, example sentences, and follow-up Q&As get children reading at the 3rd grade level. Also available for Grade One and Grade Two. $9.95
Homework Helpster Grade Four is a homework help flip card guide with core curriculum for grade 4. Give your child the best school help available with Homework Helpster for fourth grade. Featuring an easy to use stand-up, stand-out format, this guide includes the latest fast facts to make homework easier. The core curriculum in 200 full-color, at-a-glance flip cards; 4 sections: Math, Science, Language Arts, and Social Studies; Subject dividers make answers quick and easy to find; Kid-friendly full-color maps, pictures, charts, keywords, and diagrams make learning easy. Fun, brief kids lessons provide math help, English help, science help, and more to build knowledge and reading comprehension. Compiled by fourth grade teachers using core curriculums and standards, each entry focuses on a key concept. Homework Helpster is the one reference every 4th grader needs. Homework help is on the way! Also available for Grade Three and Grade Five. $12.95
My World and Globe by Ira Wolfman: From Katmandu to Kalamazoo, from the Seven Seas to the Seven Continents, this makes a great first book of Geography and comes with an inflatable 18” Globe, stand, and 123 stickers. Ages six and up. $13.95
How To Spell Like A Champ by Barry Trinkle, Carolyn, Andrews, and Paige Kimble: At last, everything you need to master the art of spelling. Learn the basic rules and all their annoying exceptions, plus 26 words of unknown origin, like curmudgeon. Discover the four most commonly misspelled word types (#3: words with a schwa). Don’t know what a schwa is? Aren’t sure about the difference between antonyms and eponyms? Discreet and discrete? Here’s your chance to learn all the tricks and tips that’ll make you a bee winner! Plus pages and pages of skill-building puzzles and games! $10.95
LeapFrog Tag Junior, for children ages 2 to 4, is the new book pal from the makers of the #1 best-selling reading system, Tag. Designed for young explorers, Tag Junior magically brings classic board books to life with playful sounds and activities! A love of books starts long before children can read - and its benefits can last a lifetime. Using the same amazing touch technology as the Tag Reading System, the Tag Junior book pal is designed to encourage toddlers’ natural desire to explore, while introducing preschool skills through playful book-based activities. The Tag Junior book pal is easy for parents and children to use. Parents can download audio for up to five books to the book pal, then let their toddlers explore. Each Tag Junior board book introduces a different preschool skill - such as the alphabet, counting or social play - through 24 playful activities and more than 130 audio responses. Open-ended questions and fun sound effects encourage children to take charge, as they touch any part of any page to bring words, pictures or activities to life. After their child has played, parents can connect the book pal to the online LeapFrog Learning Path to see their child’s progress and get printable activities to expand the learning! Ages 2-4 $34.99
MUSIC & DVDs
Bobs and Lolo connect kids to the natural world with music, movement and make-believe. Their Action Packed CD features 12 fun and original tunes: Action Packed, Muscles, Playtime, The Right Track, Just Like That, World of Words, Friends, Litterbug Jive, Nice To Be Polite, Something Special, Snappy Snacks, and Marching Together.
Bobs and Lolo want you to get on your feet, from up in the trees to down in the seas, with their On Your Feet musical adventure DVD. This musical DVD features 10 great songs and full-length videos that will get kids dancing, singing and playing along in an exciting world filled with bikes, bugs and more.
More to watch, listen & learn: Baby Logic DVD, Little Reader, Lots To Learn Preschool DVD Series
BATH, BEAUTY & GROOMING
I’ve found just the thing for your little Diva! Piggy Paint is a water based safe alternative for girls to Mom’s fingernail polish as well as solvent based kid polishes (see the polish melting foam pic) and is available in lots of fun, girly colors with equally fun names (such as Girls Rule and Dandelion Dance). Piggy Paint also offers safe nail polish remover. Use code BACK15L to take 15% off your total plus get free shipping when you spend $25. $9.99, $10.50
The Wahl Clip ‘N Trim 23 Piece Complete Haircutting Kit is a budget friendly back to school tool as it pays for itself in just a couple of haircuts (so the savings over time will add up, more so depending on the number of children you may have). The kit includes: PowerDrive clipper, Blade guard, Built-in trimmer, Handle storage case, Oil, Cleaning brush, Scissors, Medium comb, Barber comb, Cape, Thirteen Guide Combs (1/16″ - 1″), Left ear taper, Right ear taper, Ear trim guide, Brow trim guide, Full color English & Spanish Instructions/Styling Guide.
Ottilie & Lulu is a brand new range of skin, hair, and body care products formulated especially for girls between the ages of 7 and 14. Tween girls have delicate skin and face their own challenges. Girls really don’t need glitter, perfume, and strident colors to feel good about themselves. They need safe products made just for them to help them feel good, look good, and build self-confidence. Gift sets available.
- Feel Good Shampoo and Body Wash: Now you can shampoo and shower all at the same time. After a day of school, soccer, music lessons, and homework… $13.50
- Shiny Silky Detangler and Conditioner: This creamy Detangler & Conditioner is great for everyday use on all types of tween hair. Avocado and jojoba oils condition while aloe protects… $14.00.
- Clean Skin Face Wipes: Beautiful skin starts with clean skin. This is the only face you will ever have, so it’s never too early to start taking care of it. Cleanse at least… $10.00
- Everyday Facial Moisturizer and Sunscreen: The most important thing you can do for your face is to moisturize and protect it from the damaging rays of the sun–everyday. This non-chemical sunscreen leaves skin feeling smooth. $18.00
- Body Glow Lotion: Moisturize your skin with the soothing scent of lavender. This light lotion is absorbed quickly into the skin, leaving skin soft without feeling oily. $15.00
The collection of Mr. Bubble & Sesame Street bath products provides a fun way to get those kiddos squeaky clean after a full day of school & play.
- Mr. Bubble Bubble Bath: The original scent and familiar pink bottle takes me back to my childhood bubble baths. The pink bottle of bubble bath (and sometimes pink box of powdered bubble bath – boy was that awhile ago!) was a constant on the side of the bathtub when I was growing up. These days the bottle has a better design, and the bubble bath itself is now hypo-allergenic, Dermatologist tested, and Pediatrician approved. Also available in extra-gentle, bubbleberry, and watermelon.
- Mr. Bubble Foam Soap: This 8 oz can of foamy fun in Original scent adds another element of fun to bath time. Toddlers may need a little help operating the nozzle (it is similar to the whipped cream can) and it might not hurt helping all young children so the can will last more than a single use, LOL! Safe and gentle, it washes thoroughly and leaves skin soft and smooth. Also available in extra-gentle.
- Mr. Bubble 3 in 1 Body Wash / Shampoo / Bubble Bath in Extra Gentle for sensitive skin is a no tears, no fragrance, and no dyes formula that is gentle to skin and hair. An extra benefit: this all in one product reduces the bottle clutter on the side of the tub. Also available in Original and Bubbleberry.
- Sesame Street Shampoo: Something new from the Sesame Street bath products line! It’s a hypoallergenic, gentle formula that is tear free. A kid favorite, Elmo, on the front of the bottle makes this one hard to miss. Available in a yummy apple scent.
- Sesame Street Bubble Bath: This Wet Wild Watermelon scented bottle of bubbly fun has natural ingredients, like wheat protein, which provide gentle cleansing and moisture for soft skin. The familiar furry red monster is also featured on this one. Cool Berry Burst featuring Big Bird is also available.
- Sesame Street Finger Paint Bubble Bath: The 3 pack has one 4 fl oz bottles of yellow, red, and blue. These brightly colored paints are a great way for your child to learn about colors while getting clean with this mild, sudsy formula. Clean up is easy; simply rinse skin and bathtub walls with warm water. Parents and caregivers: use the paint chart on the packaging for guidelines on how to mix all the colors in the rainbow.
ORGANIZATION & SCHEDULES
A nice array of products will be posted in this space soon!
Live in Los Angeles and interested in the private elementary schools? A new resource is now available with parents like you in mind. Beyond The Brochure: An Insider’s Guide To Private Elementary Schools In Los Angeles serves as a blueprint for the application process.
FRESH & CLEAN
With the Febreze Flameless Luminary, from their Home Collection, you can add enticing scents, flickering light, & attractive design to any room. The starter kit (this one in green tea citrus) contains a reusable wooden lamp base, two scented shades, and two batteries. You can refresh the look with just a simple change of the shade. Choose the shade with the scent & style you want to match your room, your mood, or even the season. Before heading off to the store to buy Febreze products, be sure to print these coupons & look for more coupons in the monthly P&G BrandSaver coupon insert. $15.99
JUST FOR FUN
S’mash, ages 4+, puts a new spin, literally, on the classic memory game. Find matching pairs by color, number or category. The S’Match Spinner decides which way to match. Pictures and words allow pre-readers and early readers to play together and enjoy hours of memory-building fun. $19.99
36 Cube :How many towers can YOU place? Your goal is to place the 36 colored towers onto the puzzle base following two simple rules: there must be one and only one of each colored tower in each row and column, and the towers must fit in the base to form a perfect cube shape with all towers at the same height. Keep trying, see how many towers you can place before YOU get stuck! Ages: 8 to Adult, Single Player $25.00
What’s Gnu? What’s GNU? The three-letter-word race game that spells FUN! The object of the game is to spell more three-letter words than the other players. Up to 36 Word-Starter cards, which have one letter provided and two blanks, are spread out for everyone to see. Players slide the clever Letter Getter to magically reveal two letter tiles. Kids then must look at these tiles and try to make three-letter words by filling in the blanks on the Word-Starter cards. The player with the most three-letter words when all the tiles run out wins! Ages: 5 to 8, Multi Player $19.99
Hoppers Jr.: Young kids can now enjoy their own version of our popular Hoppers Peg Solitaire game as they help Red Frog Freddy win the leaping contest by being the last one on the pond. Players choose a challenge and place the frogs on the playing board to match the picture shown. To win, players hop all of their frogs around the pond until only the Red Frog remains. The 40 challenges, ranging from Easy to Super Hard, will keep kids’ minds busy, they will need to use smart moves to win the title of “King of the Lilies”! Ages: 5 to 7, Single Player $17.99
Chocolate Fix: You’ll be tempted to take a bite out of these life-like candy play pieces in this delightful game of pure deductive reasoning. Similar to Sudoku, players examine all the clues on a challenge card before making a move. Once they discover where to put a piece, they combine this knowledge with additional clues to find out more information. Feel your confidence build as you narrow down the possibilities to fill each candy assortment. Challenges ranging from beginner to expert will feed your chocolate cravings for hours. Ages: 8 to Adult, Single Player $17.99
YUMMIES
Lunch Box Goodies & After School Snacks
Late July Organic Mini Endangered Animal Sandwich Cookies taste good, are good, and do good. There are two varieties: milk chocolate between vanilla cookies and white chocolate between chocolate cookies. The cookies are made with whole grains and one serving provides 10% DV of Calcium and 10% of all profits are donated to the Jane Goodall Institute. My three year old likes them so I’m happy, but my overactive sweet tooth notices the less than one gram of sugar per cookie. With the help of healthier snacks like Late July, my son can enjoy cookies & other snacks without developing a strong sugar addiction like his Mama.
Farm Rich has some wonderful after school snacks, that can also work for a light lunch or dinner… cheese sticks, mozzarella bites, quesadillas, peppers, pizza slices, mushrooms, meatballs, panini, pizzeria bites, and French toast sticks (the last I’m thinking would be great for those dashing-out-of-the-house-at-the-last-minute off to school mornings!). These are all in frozen packaging and allow you to heat up just the portion you need. Farm Rich printable coupons (remember in most cases you can print 2 copies of internet coupons).
BOOKS
See “Educational Tools”.
An array of book suggestions will be listed here shortly.
Bookends & Book Holders
SAFETY
LoJack SafetyNet
SAVE MONEY WITH THESE COUPON CODES & DISCOUNTS!
Famous Footwear - Enter BTSFF15 to save 15% on your Back to School purchase until 9/19/09
Farm Rich printable coupons
Febreze printable coupons
HP – 10% discount for students, parents, & educators
PakNaks – 20% off purchase – Code PAK20
Piggy Paint – 15% Off purchase – Code: BACK15L
Sears - Sign-up to receive emails from Sears.com and get $10 in Sears Coupons Instantly!
Trendy Tadpole – Use code wholesale and pay only $11 (50% OFF) per shirt when you buy 3 or more.
Anything missed on this list that you still need? Let the shops below help you get your Back To School list all checked off, from the comfort of your home - save gas, time, and frustration battling crowds.
In the meantime, check out Earth Mama, Angel Baby’s Monthly Comfort Tea - for “that time of the month” when hormones are raging and your uterus and you could use some extra care. 
