For the train lover in all of us...

The nice people at Bachmann Trains provided me with these products for review.  As a kid, I remember my brothers always having a train set.  I never had one of my own, I always got dolls, stuffed animals and other girlie toys, which I loved...but I still loved to join my brothers when they played with their trains.  Even now as adults, they still collect them.  And I still enjoy watching them run.  It's amazing the setups that collectors build, with miniature train stations, houses, trees, lakes and even people.  But that love of trains and the desire to collect them always starts with a single set.  

The Bachmann Thoroughbred train set is a good set to begin a collection with.  It's an HO scale set that is priced at $165. Even if you don't plan to start a collection, it is great just to play with.  And remember, it isn't just boys who will enjoy this...girls like trains as well!  As you watch this train speed down the track, it's easy to imagine being the engineer.  You'll hear the wheels rumble like the pounding of hooves as this iron horse rounds the bend.  Hauling freight with the ease and grace of a champion, the Thoroughbred delivers fun and adventure to your stable of trains. 

    
This ready to run train set includes an F7 diesel locomotive with an operating headlight, open quad hopper, gondola, a wide vision caboose, body mounted E-Z Mate couplers, a 47" x 38" oval of snap fit E-Z Track (includes 12 pieces of curved track, 1 piece of straight track and 1 plug in terminal rerailer), power pack and speed controller and an illustrated instruction manual.

  
If you have a little one who loves Thomas the Tank Engine, this HO scale Thomas with speed activated sound and moving eyes would be perfect for them.  It's priced at $142 and is tons of fun to play with.  It lets you hear Thomas' steam sounds!  With an analog sound system that includes whistle, puffs and steam exhaust upon stopping, this sound equipped Thomas brings to life the sights and sounds of the Island of Sodor.  Thomas is the No. 1 blue engine.  He's cheeky and often gets into difficult situations, and it's usually because he's over eager to do the things that are best suited for the bigger and more sensible engines.  But clouds never last long in Thomas' world.  Before long all of his problems are solved and he's bustling about again, playing his part in the yard and on his very own branch line.  He works hard and always strives to be a "Really Useful Engine." 

This Thomas the Tank Engine Locomotive features a detailed character face with moving eyes and a realistic body shell.  It has all metal wheels with factory installed international style hook and loop couplers.  It performs best on 15" radius curves or greater and runs on Bachmann HO scale E-Z Track.  It is also compatible with all popular brands of HO scale track.

You can purchase the other characters from Thomas and Friends separately.  I received the Annie Coach and the Clarabel Coach, which are two of the Rolling Stocks, along with my Thomas.  They keep him company so he doesn't get lonely.  They are priced at $32 each on the Bachmann website.  

Bachmann has  faithfully reproduced all of the Thomas and Friends characters to run on HO scale track.  All Locomotives feature realistic character faces with moving eyes, operating HO scale electric drive mechanisms, highly detailed plastic body shells, all metal wheels and hook & loop couplers.

The Geomag Mechanics Gravity Up & Down Circuit is fun for the whole family!

Thank you to Geomagworld for sending me this awesome Mechanics Gravity Up & Down Circuit set to review!  This is an excellent set that provides hours of fun for kids age 7 and over.  Who am I kidding?  It's fun for the whole family!  My husband and I enjoy playing with this as much as our kids do.  There's just something exciting about building a structure like this and then watching the steel spheres move through it.  I especially like the Magnetic Cannon.  It's amazing to see how one steel sphere can shoot off and travel so far, even uphill, as a result of being struck by another sphere.  But it wouldn't be able to do that without the cannon piece.    

This set can be purchased on Amazon, or you can use the Store Locator on the Geomagworld site to find a store near you that carries it.  It is regularly priced at $119.99 on Amazon, but it is currently on sale for $99.30.

The Up & Down Circuit set is the most complete one in the gravity range and is based on the movement of the steel spheres. The weight of these spheres will move a never ending spiral that will also start a real gravity motor.  Inside a magnetic system of gears there's a second spiral.  Once it's activated, the spheres will begin to ascend towards the top as if they were in an elevator.  This is really cool to watch.  Once they reach the top, the spheres will enter a circuit that's full of amazing magnetic tricks and then descend once again to keep the gravity motor active.  

 
There are  330 pieces contained in this set: 21 magnetic rods, 39 steel spheres and 270 plastic mechanical elements.  Gravity is the innovative evolution of the Geomag Mechanics line.   It was developed with expert players in mind.  The new construction system is based on an innovative gravity motor that uses the weight of the Geomag spheres to start the mechanisms and movements of the Geomag mechanics structures.  It isn't powered by electricity or batteries, it's the invisible forces of gravity and magnetism that provides the motion.  The play experience is based on these fundamental principles of physics.  Mechanics gravity is a STEM product that can truly stimulate curiosity and inspire a child to learn more about science.   

Do you believe in Fairies and Unicorns?

I received these products from Master Replicas in exchange for an honest review.  Are you looking for something unusual and unique to give someone special this Easter?  Well, you can find replicas of many different kinds from Master Replicas.  From dinosaur fossils to practical joke items, they have a wide selection of items.  You can browse their site to see what they have to offer.  

Do you believe in fairies?  Or unicorns?  They're creatures from fantasy that are rarely, if ever, seen.  And for those who claim to have seen them... well, they are usually laughed at, ridiculed and accused of lying.  But what if they're telling the truth?  There's no proof that fairies and unicorns exist.  But what if you could show people irrefutable evidence that they do exist, or at least existed at one time?  The products below are sculptures crafted by skilled artists.  But if they were real they could be just the thing to prove the existence of fairies and unicorns.  And who knows?  Perhaps the artists took their inspiration for these works of art from something real that is being kept hidden from the rest of us because so few believe...  

   
This Fossilized Fairy is intricately crafted in high detail.  It has a regular price of $34.95 but is currently on sale for $24.99.  But if this were a real fossil, it would be priceless.  This isn't just a collectible, it can also be used as a garden accessory.  You can tell your friends that it is a legitimate fossil and watch them examine it with fascinated confusion and curiosity.  Note the wings, the hands, legs and head.  It appears to be holding on to the stem of a 4 leaf clover.  It is certainly a beautiful piece! 

A fairy is a mythical, legendary creature in European folklore.  it's often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.  They are human in appearance and have magical powers.  They have been spoken of for centuries, and are said to range from quite tiny to the size of a child.  Their size could be the temporary result of magic because it is said that some fairies could pose as a human.  They were most often described as dressed in dark gray clothing, and sometimes they were said to wear armor.  They sometimes wore shoes, sometimes were barefoot.  In folklore it is rarely said that fairies had wings...they flew by magic, perched on ragwort stems or on the backs of birds instead.  Modern illustrations often depict dragonfly or butterfly wings.                 

This Fossilized Fairy was scuplted by a very talented artisan named Martin Reph in Pennsylvania, USA.  It is made of highly durable Smooth On Resin for the best quality piece.  Each piece is hand painted using metallic acrylics and enamels to enhance the magical appearance.  It also comes with a certificate of authenticity.  

This Unicorn Horn has extremely detailed swirls all along the length as is depicted in numerous illustrations of unicorns through out history.  The regular price of this sculpture is $49.95 but it is currently on sale for $39.95.  This is a must have for any unicorn lover.

The majestic Unicorn Horn is an icon of mythic might.  It is revered in both classical texts and fairytales dating back hundreds of years.  This horn juts from the heads of the fabled unicorns of legend and is said to have magical properties.  It has always been sought after, but rarely obtained because, according to legend, unicorns cannot be captured alive.  A symbol of innocence and purity, it has captured our imaginations and delighted fantasy fans for generations.  Now this beautiful replica of an arcane artifact is being offered to collectors of all ages.

This Unicorn Horn is molded in Smooth On bone color tinted resin with wisps of magical, color changing, pearlescent blue and silver.  It is presented on a faux stone display base with an engraved name plate with a hammered metal finish.  It measures over 19" high including the non removable base.  It was sculpted by artists Martin Reph and Al Landron in Pennsylvania, USA.  Due to the fact that these are hand made, no two pieced will be exactly the same.  The finish will vary slightly between pieces.  It comes with a certificate of authenticity.  

Both of these replicas make excellent gifts, so consider giving them to a fantasy lover (or a believer) for Easter.  They are beautiful pieces to have on display.  But you may find yourself staring at them and wondering if they truly are simply sculptures, or perhaps proof that fairies and unicorns exist.  Are you a believer?

The Rock Around Wobble Disk is tons of fun!

Sending a big THANK YOU to Simplay3 for providing me with a Rock Around Wobble Disk to review!  With a retail price of $49.99, it is very affordable.  Simplay3 has also offered to have a giveaway on our site for one, so please watch for that to be posted in the next few days!  This disk is the winner of the National Parenting Product Award and the 2019 Parents' Choice Award!  It's an awesome toy! 

This disk is tons of fun for little ones!  It's recommended for ages 2-5 and will support a maximum weight of 50 lbs.  It's a great way for your child to use up some of that energy that they're not able to work off as easily right now.  It's made of heavy duty, durable, double walled plastic and can be used indoors or outdoors.  It's like a bowl that a child can sit inside, and the sides are 9.5" high for wrap around security.  

The dome shape of the Rock Around Wobble Disk lets kids rock or spin in any direction, while molded in grips to help kids hold on tight without risking smashing their little fingers.  A molded in safety ring lets kids rock indoors or outdoors without the danger of tipping over.  And it's made in the U.S.A.!   

In the photo above, you can see the molded in hand grips and the ring that prevents it from tipping over.  Kids love to spin and rock, and this wobble disk will be a big hit with your little ones.  It's a great way to keep them active while they are home from school.  They can rock, wobble and have a 360 degree spin adventure with the Rock Around Wobble Disk.  Kids can rock and wobble on their own, or a parent, friend or sibling can add to the fun by giving them a playful spin.  

  
The disk can also be flipped over and used to sit on, climb on and jump off of, so it's loaded with ways to play!  Your kids will have tons of fun with one of these Rock Around Wobble Disks.  It's a perfect Easter Gift and a perfect toy to keep your kids occupied while they are cooped up at home!  And don't forget to watch for the giveaway!

Huge List of FREE Educational Resources for Home Schooling

I will update this list as I get more resources.  I am only listing FREE resources at this time.  If you have a resource you would like to see listed, please contact me using the contact form of the right sidebar or email me:  REVIEWZBLOG@GMAIL.COM

1.  HUGE List of free resources: http://www.amazingeducationalresources.com
2. ABC MOUSE is offering free online programs for kids Pre-K-6th grade. No credit card required. Use code SCHOOL7771 abcmouse.com/redeem
3. Scholastic www.schoolastic.com/learnathome 
4. Over 30 Virtual Field Trips with Links-https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTbUBsKt4U5tR-eXC8b2bogrvjrVlEBl8OJIesNPw6b7BRScYRuyXIaSAVIcl_q52BI4SqrK4_HVQCw/pub
5. VR Field Trips- Huge list of virtual field trips
6. 20 Fun and Easy Indoor Activities for Kids
7. CircleTime Fun– learn and bond with your 0-6 year old. Use code homefun1.
8. Sesame Street– this has everything your little one will love. Show clips, puzzles, and games for free.
9. Sight Reading Factory– SightReadingFactory.com makes practicing the important skill of sight reading easy, effective and fun! 
10. Vroom– Free educational tips and science explanation for parents of children 0 to 5 available by app, text, and printables.
11. Starfall– no list of free educational websites would be complete if it didn’t include Starfall. There is a paid version of this website, but so many resources are also available for free, geared for children ages in grades K-3.
12. National Geographic Kids– There are amazing nature and animal videos, as well as games and activities. This one is so much fun, and entirely free!
13. PBS Kids– This was always one of my favorite websites and apps for my little ones. Games, shows, and more all for free.
14. NASA Kids Club– you know how much our family loves all things NASA! This website is perfect for little learners, with access to materials appropriate for teens and young adults. All for free!
15. Scholastic Kids– this website has free books for all ages, as well as other interactive games and activities. Offers unique and rich experiences for kids, all for free.
16. Seussville- All things Dr. Seuss for your younger learners. All for free!
17. Pinna is extending our free trial period and giving families & teachers 2 free months access to Pinna audio. To activate, all they need to do is go to www.pinna.fm and at sign-up use promo code: PINNA4KIDS
    Pinna has a huge collection of children's audiobooks, podcasts and music. Just follow the instructions above!
18. Free Games/Play Activities: Ravensburger

Encouraging families to stay #athomewithravensburger, the company is sharing free tips, materials, and ideas for kids AND parents to help destress, get creative, and feel inspired. Love puzzles? Our multi-player digital puzzle application let’s families puzzle together while respecting social distancing guidelines. Fans of our GraviTrax system will love the new challenges featured in our GraviTrax Academy and includes a printable diploma parents can present to their child once a skill level has been mastered!

STEM Learning:
ThinkFun
ThinkFun’s newest resource page called “For Parents” includes free-downloadable games featuring the company’s online coding game, educational games, and more to help support learning at home and keep families calm, occupied, and engaged.