Endangered Species Memory Game Review & Giveaway

What could be better than children learning while they play? Saving endangered species, while they learn, while they play!

From the mind of a talented Toronto artist, Anouk Bikkers at Anouk's Ark, the Endangered Species Memory Game is a great way to spend time with your kids, and help benefit those species at the same time! Anouk took her deep-rooted love for animals, and used her gift to bring to life an eco-friendly, educational game for children, and adults of all ages to enjoy.

We received one of the memory games for review. Emily was so excited to play a game, something we don't do all that often since she's still pretty young to understand most game play.

Included inside were 72 memory game pieces (representing 36 species!!),  a 72 page booklet filled with interesting facts for each animal, and a cute sticker that my toddler couldn't wait to stick somewhere.

Since Em is just 2.5 years old, and this was her first time playing a memory type game, we started out small and picked out 3 pairs to match up. We each took turns flipping over two, my turn mostly just to show her how it was done. If she decided they were different we flipped them back over and tried again. If she decided that they were the same (and they really were the same) we celebrated, and if she decided that they were the same and they weren't I gently explained why, trying to describe each one, or telling her the names of the two different species.

She caught on quickly, so even though this game is recommended for ages 3+, I would say it is never too young to start! :)

Three Reasons I Love This Game

• Promotes saving animals, and educational fun with kids all at once.
• Canadian-made in Toronto
• Eco-Friendly (printed on 100% FSC paper, with vegetable-based inks)

All on their own, I have to talk about the game piece illustrations themselves. They were so detailed, and in a humorous way too! For example, the Grizzly Bear (who, by the way, I had no idea were endangered!) was drawn in such a way that he was cross eyed staring down at a bumblebee on his nose. It made Em and I both laugh when I showed her.

Overall, I think this is the perfect game for all ages, especially those who prefer products that support a great cause, and are eco-friendly. I appreciate that this is a game that will grow with us, and will teach us many things along the way.

Also offered, are 2-in-1 Puzzles! You can find these games at several stores across Canada, as well as on the Anouk's Ark website.

***Giveaway***

Anouk has generously offered to giveaway an Endangered Species Memory Game to one lucky Living As We reader.

 

Prize: One lucky winner will receive an Endangered Species Memory Game!

Eligibility: US/CAN, 18+ (Quebec excluded)

Entry Period: May 26, 2014 - June 11, 2014 11:59pm EST

Rules: See Rafflecopter for full terms and conditions. By entering you agree to these terms. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A winner will be chosen at random, and will be contacted by email. You will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email before another winner will be selected at random. The winner will be announced in the Rafflecopter form once they have confirmed/responded to my email.   

Be sure to check out these other fantastic giveaways to enter! 

Would you like to see your products featured in a review/giveaway similar to this one? I would love to work with you! Please feel free to email me: oddball2003@hotmail.com .

I received sample products in order to conduct my review. As always, opinions are 100% honest and my own.

 

Heroes of the City Review & Giveaway

Heroes of the City was completely new to us until a couple of months ago, when I started reading about it on a couple of my favourite blogs. I was excited to learn more about this show, and the story behind it.

"Heroes of the City is a television cartoon about rescue vehicles in a small town where everyone can be a hero!
 Follow the fantastically exciting adventures along with friends in town.

Meet Pauli Police Car and Fiona Fire Engine as they help the townspeople find thieves, put out fires, and solve one of the many mysteries that happen in the otherwise quiet town.

You will also get to know Calamity Crow, the most unlucky bird in town. Emphasizing friendship, Heroes of the City contains a great deal of warmth and what may be accomplished by helping each other."

 

We received a great little gift package that contained a DVD, a book, a beach ball, and a couple of the toy car characters. All of this came in handy to keep Emily busy this past week, while I was super busy, and it was rainy outside.

The first thing we looked at was the book, because that's the first thing Emily reached for. The book was the 6th in the series, but I appreciated that I didn't need to have read the first 5 to move on to the sixth. The bright, colourful illustrations really caught her eye. I think the overall length of the book was slightly long for Em's attention span and will probably be better suited for older children.

The front and back pages had a "Where's Waldo" type game, and this was Em's favourite part of the book. Plus, she had a great time driving her cars around while I was reading to her, and finding the pictures along the way that matched her toys.

The cars themselves felt well made but do have some small parts (the wheels in particular) so for younger children I would save these for supervised playtime until they are a bit older.

The DVD includes the first 5 episodes in the Heroes of the City TV Series. I appreciate that this show is all about the heroes that support the places we live in a fun and positive way. This show is aimed towards kids ages 3-6, but Emily (2) was completely captured by each new character that was introduced. Characters range from Fiona Fire Engine and Pauli Police Car, to Tommy Tow Truck and Harry Hot Rod, but there were so many others too!

My favourite was Calamity Crow. He was the unlucky mixture of good intentions, and clumsiness, that reminded me of myself, in an animated bird form. Em preferred Pauli Police Car. I think that is because she has the toy that she can play with, while watching.

In our favourite episode, "The Race", Harry Hot Rod is up to his sneaky ways, and poor Tracy has to find her way out of a sticky situation because of it. I loved that this episode teaches kids that cheaters don't win! :)

After experiencing this wonderful package full of HOTC goodies, I am left wishing I had a way to try the HOTC Movie and Books App. I would definitely suggest checking it out if you are able to! The Movie App gives you 6+ hours of movies to watch, and 9 games, while the Book App has 12 stories, and 2 games....best of all, they're free!

Download the Apps on the HOTC Website. To keep up to date with the Heroes, news, and upcoming promotions, follow along on Facebook, or Twitter.

***Giveaway***

  You could win a Heroes of the City Prize Pack of your own!

Prize: One lucky winner will receive a similar prize package (may not be exactly as shown)

Eligibility: Worldwide, 18+ (Quebec excluded)

Entry Period: May 13, 2014 - May 29, 2014 11:59pm EST

Rules: See Rafflecopter for full terms and conditions. By entering you agree to these terms.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A winner will be chosen at random, and will be contacted by email. You will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email before another winner will be selected at random. The winner will be announced in the Rafflecopter form once they have confirmed/responded to my email.   

Be sure to check out these other fantastic giveaways to enter! 

Would you like to see your products featured in a review/giveaway similar to this one? I would love to work with you! Please feel free to email me: oddball2003@hotmail.com .

I received sample products in order to conduct my review. As always, opinions are 100% honest and my own.