Review – Begin Again Toys Wooden Dinosaur A-Z Puzzle

Brittney
I adore wooden toys. I love how resilient they are.  They don’t fade or break, they have a little bit of substance when you hold them in your hand, and they last forever! By forever, I’m talking generations. My grandma has a freestanding wooden elephant puzzle in her house with about four pieces. (It’s white and was a white elephant gift.  Ha!) Growing up my cousins and I loved playing with it. It was always out around the house, and as I grew older the silly elephant stuck around. The only up keep it needed was a paint job every now and then because the white started to look a bit dingy with so many little hands carrying it around, but it never broke and it never grew old. Twenty years later my grandma still has that puzzle!
I first saw BeginAgain Toys as part of a Zulily promotion for wooden toys. Since I already love the idea of wooden toys I was enthralled with the whole list of toys but I was absolutely mesmerized by the BeginAgain Puzzles. I was hit with a wave of nostalgia seeing the free standing animal family puzzles (they even have an elephant!) and pulled in by the beauty and simplicity of their designs. The patterns on their puzzles are unique, the painting is colorful, and they’ve made them even better learning tools by having numbered or lettered pieces on some of the puzzles (uppercase and lowercase depending on the side of the puzzle you’re looking at).
Plus I can really get behind the BeginAgain company and their “Workshop Rules” aka moto for toys:
  1. Kids are the true noisemakers!
    – No batteries, no electronics, ever!
  2. Share your ideas, then build
    – Collaborate, share, and build in partnership.
  3. Don’t leave a mess
    – Take OIL out of play, use plant based materials whenever possible and always reduce, recycle, and seek improvement.
  4. Great products have greater purpose
    – BeginAgain gives 1% to the community.
These puzzles are fairly expensive ranging from $10-$30, but my grandmas puzzles had lasted through multiple generations and these puzzles looked like they were built for the same kind of multi generational love.  To me it seemed worth the price.  And so we got the wooden alphabet dinosaur puzzle.  A puzzle I knew was a little advanced for my young son, but it seemed like a puzzle he could grow into and one that I could use as a teaching tool in a lot of different ways as he did. 
The puzzle came with a nice wooden tray, great for storing the pieces in when the puzzle if finished or still in pieces (though I wish the tray had a lid…). One side of the puzzle has capital letters the other side has lowercase letters so your child has a chance to learn both, and the puzzle can be built face up, face down or standing on it’s feet.
The puzzle is well crafted and the pieces are solid and easy to put together. I was a little surprised by the difficulty of the puzzle, I thought it would be a breeze since it’s more or less alphabetized, but I think I relied on the alphabet a little too much and it took me a try or two to piece the thing back together. I thought it was surprisingly fun to piece together and I really love how big the pieces are the 3D feel of the puzzle.
My son LOVED that this was a dinosaur! But the actual puzzle part was still a bit beyond his ability. While he wasn’t able to build the puzzle, but he did get a good chance to work on his fine motor skills as I helped him piece little bits of it together and he had a blast identifying the different letters on the pieces and sorting the colored shapes into piles. And the great thing about puzzle is, it’s wood, it’s not going to fade or break and we can play with it all over again when he’s ready to start piecing the whole thing together.

Begin Again toys wooden puzzles review

Begin Again toys wooden puzzles review
I guess I really got this puzzle in part for me.  On their website they have a whole range of puzzle, many with much more simple pieces (like the cat puzzle pictured above). I have a feeling that my two year old would have had a lot more success piecing those together.. and possibly also enjoyed being able to play with the individual cat pieces in the process.

They have a butterfly that is a tint but more intense than my dinosaur puzzle suggested for 5 year olds, a food assortment puzzle (Alphabites) that is suggest for 3+, and adorable wooden block puzzles for 18+ months. The Alphabites Puzzle, has pieces shaped like a bunch of food, and when all the pieces are removed from the tray, the tray is shaped like a serving tray, complete with plate and napkin and the flip side of the tray is shaved like a stove top! It sounds like some fantastic, dual use play food to me.



BeginAgain Puzzle Pros: 
  • Super Sturdy Puzzle
  • Duel Use Puzzle 
  • Brightly Colored 
  • Made Sustainably 
  • Teaching Tool
  • Easy to Hold Pieces 

BeginAgain Puzzle Cons: 
  • Expensive
  • The storage box doesn’t have a lid
Anyway.  I’ve been really happy with my puzzle.  It’s as awesome as it looks and it’s fun to build.  I really think these puzzles and this company is worth checking out! See more BeginAgain Toys on: 

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

We love puzzles at our house, if you’ve come across any great or unique ones please tell me more about them in the comments section,

Touring Boston – What to Know About Visiting the USS Constitution (or Old Iron Side) with Kids

Brittney
The Freedom Trail is pretty well split into two parts, the city part, where everything is pretty close together – you can easily see many famous buildings in a short amount of time, and the monument part (I guess I’ll call it?)…

To get to this second half/monument part you walk away from the main city, over a huge bridge and then are rewarded by seeing the USS Constitution and the Beacon Hill Monument, which are fairly close together.

Touring Boston - What to Know About Visiting the USS Constitution (or Old Iron Side) with Kids

The USS Constitution, or Old Iron Side, is the oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy.  In order to keep her title she has to sail at least one nautical mile every year, so on Independent Day they sail her half a mile out into the harbor and half a mile back in. She was also named by President George Washington after the constitution of the United States.

USS Constitution (or Old Iron Side) plaque

The ship was incredible, and fierce.  It totally looked like a pirate ship, and you could walk onto it and see the different levels.  Mostly I just felt like barking orders and saying “Land Ho” which my husband might have found a little obnoxious.  🙂

In any case being able to walk all over the ship and explore it’s nooks and crannies was something I had been missing out on and is easily my new favorite part of the Freedom Trail.

Things to Note:

USS Constitution (or Old Iron Side) rigging

1) Price
Free… with a suggested donation.  This amazing ship is sitting in the harbor just waiting to be visited by you and yours at whatever price you fancy… or don’t fancy.  You can walk through the gift/shop museum, then past the navy officers stations at the ship right onto the boat.  No charge, but an amazing chance to walk around a very cool ship.

2) Identification
Because this is still a navel ship they require some form of identification for anyone over 18.  This can be in the form of a passport, driver’s license, or state issued ID, and you will have to pass through a security check.

3) Stroller Friendliness
You can bring your stroller through the gift shop, but not onto the ship.  We were able to leave ours with one of the navy people stationed outside the gift shop and we carried our son onto the ship.  It makes a lot of sense since once you’re on the ship there is no space for a stroller and it would be impossible or at least very dangerous to try to bring one up and down the steep ship stairs.

USS Constitution (or Old Iron Side) boat ship

4) Child Friendliness
Yes!  They love kids and they love seeing children being able to explore the ship.  There are giant wheels to see, cannons, port holes and all sorts of interesting things to touch, but you will be on a ship so you’ll want to keep an eye on your little ones to make sure they don’t try to climb on anything to dangerous.

5) Parking
Off street parking is available at the Nautica Parking Garage, located at 88 Constitution Road, Charlestown, MA 02129 (Validation is available at the museum and the National Park Service Visitors Center). The Museum is few minutes walk from the garage. Street and metered parking are available around the area.

USS Constitution (or Old Iron Side) boat ship

Summary and Rating: ★★★★★

Five Stars. I thought this ship was amazing!  I loved being able to walk around and both touch and see it, and being able to do it all at the price I choose was great.  The ship was amazing and though my son was fairly little at the time I think he is only going to be more and more interested in seeing it as he grows older.  I would highly suggest walking the second half of the Freedom Trail to experience this gem.

Have you been here before?  If so I’d love to know more about your experience and any tips or tricks you have in the comments section below. 

USS Constitution, or Old Iron Side
Charlestown Navy Yard, Building 22
Charlestown, MA 02129

Phone: 617.426.1812
Website: https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/ 

 Museum Hours 
 April 01 – October 31 Open Daily | 9:00 – 6:00
 November 01 – March 31 Open Daily | 10:00 – 5:00

USS Constitution Hours 
October 1 – October 28 Open Tuesday – Friday | 2:30 – 5:00 Open Saturday – Sunday | 10:00 – 5:00 Closed Mondays
October 29 – March 13 Open Saturday & Sunday | 10:00 – 4:00* Closed Monday – Friday, *Last tour leaves at 3:30

Toddler A-Z – 100 Objects That Start with the Letter “G”

Brittney

Big List of Object and Things that start with Letter G

 

A group of my friends started doing something we are calling Toddler Time and each week we choose a letter to focus on.  I realized that finding objects that start with the letter of the week can be a challenge and I thought it might be helpful to have a long list of “G” letter objects them on hand.  If I’ve missed something drop me a note in the comments, I would be thrilled to add even more letter “G” objects.
  1. Gallery: A space or building where works of art are displayed for public viewing.
  2. Galoshes: Waterproof overshoes worn to protect shoes from rain or mud.
  3. Game: An activity or sport with specific rules and objectives, often played for entertainment or competition.
  4. Gander (Male Goose): A male goose, typically larger than a female goose.
  5. Garage: A building or space used for storing vehicles or other large items.
  6. Garbage: Waste or discarded materials that are no longer needed.
  7. Garden: An area of land used for cultivating plants, often for food or decorative purposes.
  8. Garland: A decorative arrangement of flowers, leaves, or other materials, often hung as a decoration.
  9. Garlic: A pungent bulbous plant used as a seasoning in cooking.
  10. Garlic Bread: Bread that has been flavored with garlic and often butter or oil, commonly served as an appetizer.
  11. Garment: A piece of clothing or fabric that is worn.
  12. Garnet (Red Gem): A deep red gemstone, often used in jewelry.
  13. Gas: A substance that can expand or contract to fill a container, often used as fuel for heating or transportation.
  14. Gas Tank: The container in a vehicle that holds the fuel.
  15. Gate: A barrier or entrance that can be opened or closed to control access.
  16. Gauze Pad: A medical dressing made of loosely woven fabric, used to cover and protect wounds.
  17. Gecko: A small reptile known for its ability to climb walls and ceilings.
  18. Gerbil: A small rodent often kept as a pet, similar to a hamster or mouse.
  19. Giant: An exceptionally large person or thing.
  20. Gift: A present or something given voluntarily to someone without expectation of payment.
  21. Giftwrap: Decorative paper or material used to wrap a gift.
  22. Ginger: A spicy root often used in cooking or as a natural remedy for digestive issues.
  23. Ginger Ale: A carbonated soft drink flavored with ginger.
  24. Ginger Snap: A type of cookie flavored with ginger.
  25. Gingerbread: A sweet and spicy cake-like bread often flavored with ginger and molasses.
  26. Gingham: A lightweight cotton fabric with a checkered pattern.
  27. Giraffe: A large African mammal with a long neck and distinctive spotted pattern.
  28. Girl: A female child or young woman.
  29. Girl Scout: A member of a worldwide organization for girls, known for its focus on community service and skill-building activities.
  30. Glass: A hard, transparent material often used to make windows, drinking containers, or decorative objects.
  31. Glazed Donut: A type of donut that has been coated with a sugary glaze.
  32. Glitter: Small, shiny particles used for decoration or to add sparkle to something.
  33. Globe: A spherical representation of the Earth or a celestial body.
  34. Glove: A covering for the hand, typically made of material such as leather or fabric.
  35. Glue: A sticky substance used to join or adhere things together.
  36. Gnocchi: Small dumplings made from potatoes, flour, and sometimes cheese or eggs.
  37. Goal: An objective or aim that one hopes to achieve.
  38. Goat: A hoofed mammal often kept for its milk, meat, or wool.
  39. Goat Cheese: Cheese made from the milk of a goat.
  40. Goggles: Protective eyewear that covers the eyes to shield them from hazards or to enhance vision.
  41. Gold: A precious metal with a lustrous yellow color, often used for jewelry or as a store of value.
  42. Golden Eagle: A large bird of prey known for its impressive size and golden feathers on its neck.
  43. Goldfish: A small freshwater fish often kept as a pet, known for its bright orange or gold color.
  44. Golf: A sport played on a large outdoor course, in which players use clubs to hit a small ball into a series of holes.
  45. Golf Ball: A small, dimpled ball used in the game of golf.
  46. Golf Club: A specialized instrument used for striking the golf ball in various situations.
  47. Goose: A large waterbird with a long neck and webbed feet, similar to a duck.
  48. Gorilla: A large primate native to Africa, known for its strength and intelligence.
  49. Goulash: A meat dish, often made with beef or pork, and seasoned with paprika and other spices.
  50. Gourd: The hard-shelled fruit of various plants, often used for decorative purposes or as containers.
  51. Gown: A long, loose-fitting dress, typically worn for formal events.
  52. Graham Crackers: Sweet, slightly sweetened crackers often used as an ingredient in desserts.
  53. Grandma: Informal term for grandmother, a female parent of one’s parent.
  54. Grandpa: A term used to refer to one’s father’s father or mother’s father.
  55. Grandparent: An individual who is a parent of one’s parent; often associated with the older generation.
  56. Granola: A type of breakfast cereal made from rolled oats, nuts, honey, and dried fruit.
  57. Granola Bar: A snack bar made with granola and often mixed with chocolate, nuts, or dried fruits.
  58. Grape: A small, round fruit that grows in clusters on vines and often used in making raisins or wine.
  59. Grape Juice: A beverage made from pressing grapes, often sweet and used as a drink on its own or as a base for other drinks.
  60. Grape Leave: The leaf of a grapevine.
  61. Grape Nuts: A dry, crunchy cereal made from wheat and barley, often used as a breakfast option.
  62. Grapefruit: A large, citrus fruit with a yellow or pinkish flesh and a sour or semi-sweet taste.
  63. Grass: A green plant with narrow leaves that cover the ground and form lawns or meadows.
  64. Grasshopper: An insect with long hind legs for jumping, typically found in grassy areas.
  65. Grate: To shred or wear down into small particles by rubbing against a rough surface.
  66. Grater: A kitchen tool with sharp, raised edges used for shredding or grating food.
  67. Gravel: Small, loose stones or rock fragments often used for paving or landscaping.
  68. Gravy: A thick, savory sauce made from meat drippings, flour, and broth, often served with meat.
  69. Green: A color between blue and yellow on the spectrum, often associated with nature and environmental awareness.
  70. Green Beans: Fresh, unripe pods of various bean plants, often cooked or used in salads.
  71. Green Jello: A gelatin-based dessert that is green in color, often flavored with lime or other fruit flavors.
  72. Green Peppers: Bell peppers that are green in color before ripening, often used in cooking or salads.
  73. Greeting Card: A decorative card with a message, usually sent to convey well wishes or greetings on special occasions.
  74. Grey: A color between black and white, often associated with neutrality or maturity.
  75. Griffin: A mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle.
  76. Grill: A device used for cooking food over direct heat, often made of metal bars.
  77. Grilled Cheese: A sandwich made with cheese that is melted between two slices of bread, typically grilled or toasted.
  78. Grinder (Salt and Pepper): A manual or electric device used for grinding or crushing salt and pepper.
  79. Grits: A dish made from cornmeal that is boiled and often served as a breakfast porridge.
  80. Grizzly Bear: A large bear native to North America, known for its size and aggressive nature.
  81. Ground Beef: Minced or finely chopped beef, often used in recipes such as burgers or meatballs.
  82. Groundhog: A small, burrowing mammal known for its annual prediction of the arrival of spring.
  83. Grove: A small group of trees.
  84. Grub: A term colloquially used to refer to food, especially in a casual or slang context.
  85. Guacamole: A Mexican dip made from mashed avocados, often mixed with lime juice, tomatoes, onions, and spices.
  86. Guard: A person or object that provides protection, surveillance, or defense.
  87. Guava: A tropical fruit with a strong, sweet fragrance and a tangy taste.
  88. Guitar: A stringed musical instrument with a long neck and a flat-backed body, typically played by strumming or plucking the strings.
  89. Guitar Pick: A small, flat tool used to pluck or strum the strings of a guitar.
  90. Gum: A soft, sweet substance that is chewed for enjoyment or to freshen breath.
  91. Gum ball Machine: A vending machine that dispenses small, round candies known as gum balls.
  92. Gum balls: Small, round candies often sold in vending machines and typically chewy in texture.
  93. Gumbo: A thick, stew-like dish that originated in Louisiana and is often made with a mixture of meat or seafood, vegetables, and a roux.
  94. Gummy Bear: A small, fruit-flavored candy shaped like a bear and made of gelatin.
  95. Gummy Worm: A soft, chewy candy shaped like a worm and typically fruit-flavored.
  96. Gunny Sack: A coarse, woven bag made of jute or similar material, often used for carrying or storing items.
  97. Gutter: A trough or channel along the edge of a roof or a road to collect and direct rainwater.
  98. Gym Matt: A cushioned and padded mat used in gyms for various exercises and activities to provide comfort, support, and protect against impacts on the body during workouts.
  99. Gym Shoe: Also known as athletic shoes or sneakers, gym shoes are specially designed footwear that provides stability, cushioning, and grip for physical activities and exercises performed in a gym or sports facility.
  100. Gyro: A popular Greek dish consisting of seasoned meat (usually lamb or chicken) cooked on a vertical rotisserie, typically served in a pita bread with a variety of toppings and sauces.
  101. Gymnast: A person who practices and performs various gymnastic exercises, such as tumbling, balance beam routines, vaulting, and uneven bars, often as part of competitions or exhibitions.
  102. Gyroscope: A mechanical device consisting of a spinning wheel or rotor mounted on a set of revolving gimbals, used to measure or maintain orientation, stability, or angular velocity in various applications, such as navigational systems and aircraft controls.

Big list of objects that start with letter G
Can you think of any other letter “G” words?  If so please comment and let me know, I’d love to get them added to the list.

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Toddler Letters – “H” is for “House”

Brittney

 

Letter H Craft - Toddler/Preshooler letter of the week craft H is for House with related craft, tracing sheets and fruits/vegetables.

Supplies Needed:

  • Brown, Green, and Blue Craft Paper
  • Letter “H” Cutout
  • Small Piece of Paper
  • Glue
  • Scissors or Exacto Knife
  • Markers

Toddler/Preshooler letter of the week craft H is for House with related craft, tracing sheets and fruits/vegetables.

Set Up:

I had our “H” cut out and ready to go along with a strip of green paper cut out to look like grass.  I cut little window-like-holes in the “H”.  The my son glued down our extra strip of paper to the inside of the “H” creating the door.  After that we glued the “H” with attached door to the blue paper.  He glued the grass to the bottom of the “H” and glued the strips of brown to the top of the “H” to form the houses roof.  Then he took his markers and colored in the doors and windows creating peek-a-boo spaces.

We finished by talking about and looking at pictures of the different kinds of places people can live (houses, apartments, tents, igloos etc.)

Toddler/Preshooler letter of the week craft H is for House with related craft, tracing sheets and fruits/vegetables.

Tracing Letters:

Have you made this craft?  What was your experience like and do you have an suggestions to make it better?  I’d love to hear about them in the comments section below.

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Family Friendly Boston – What to Know About Setting Up a Fire Station Visit

Brittney
One of my son’s favorite activities to date was a visit to our local fire station.  The Cambridge Fire Fighters are awesome and if your interested in a planning a similar activity all it took for us was a small group of friend who were interest in going and a phone call to the fire station.

Family Friendly Boston – What to Know About Setting Up a Fire Station Visit

When we got there they gave all the little kids plastic fire hats and called down a few of the fire fighters and had them dress up in all their gear for the kids.  I had to laugh at the announcement made over the PA when we enter that was something like “If you’ve been here less than 3 years suite up and come down,” which I read as “if you you’ve been here less than 3 years you’re at the bottom of the totem pole and you’ve got kiddies to entertain.” Whether that was true or not doesn’t really matter because the people that did come to talk to us were all amazing!

They were super friendly as they walked us over to the fire trucks and let the kids go wild climbing on the trucks.  The kids were allowed to push the buttons, sit in different seats, and pretend to drive the engine all while talking to the fire fighters.   The fire fighters were also super good sports about letting us take pictures with them.

Our trip ended when calls started coming in and soon both of the fire engines along with most of the fire fighters were gone, which seemed like a good point to wrap up our trip.

Family Friendly Boston – What to Know About Setting Up a Fire Station Visit

Things to Note:

1) Price
Free!  Fire fighters are awesome.

2) Setting up an appointment
Call the fire station and let them know you’re interested in coming.  We told them that we had a small group and set up a tentative date.  On that day they will have you call in an hour or so before your appointment to make sure that there haven’t been emergencies calling away the firefighters.  So keep in mind that your date will be semi tentative.

To Schedule a visit: Call Lieutenant Mike Hughes at 617-349-4153 or email him. Please give the following information: number of students/kids visiting; ages; what school or organization; contact person with phone number; the station you would like to visit, the day and time you would like to visit.

The day of your visit: Call 617-349-4900, their Emergency Communications Center, and ask for the station you will be visiting. When connected, double check that your visit is expected and confirm your time and number of visitors. Upon arrival, if the station is empty, that means the firefighters had an emergency run. Call 349-4900 again, tell them you are at the station for a visit and ask if they know how long before the firefighters return. You can then decide to wait or call and reschedule a visit.

If you need to cancel: Call 617-349-4900, their Emergency Communications Center, and ask for the station you were expected to visit. When transferred, tell them of your cancelation.

3) Things for the Kids
The fire fighters were amazingly nice and fun.  Each kid got to start the tour out with a fire fighter badge (sticker) and a fire fighter plastic hat, both of which were provide by the fire station.

4) Things you might end up doing
For us, and our group of 15 toddlers we ended up sticking close to the fire trucks.  The kids were mesmerized and perfectly happy just to be able to see real fire fighters and crawl around on the trucks.  I don’t know how long this would have lasted but we were there for a good half hour before both trucks got called away.

Summary & Rating ★★★★★

Five Stars.  How could I do any less?  This was a wonderful activity, my son adored it, it was educational, hands on, free and a lot of fun to be able to interact with the amazing people keeping us safe.  The only possible down side I can see is if your child was super excited about a potential trip and you had to change the date due to the firefighters being called away… which really can’t be helped.  In any case we loved this and will be doing it again… probably every year that we live here.

Have you been here before?  If so I’d love to know more about your experience and any tips or tricks you have for setting up an outing in the comments section below. 

Cambridge Fire Department
(lots of locations) This is the main office
491 Broadway Cambridge MA 02138

Phone: 617.349.4900
Website: http://www.cambridgema.gov/cfd

Visiting Hours: They prefer morning hours during the weekday (Not Tuesday or Thursday mornings because they have inspections) If those times don’t work for you call and they will probably be willing to try to work something out with you.