Last Giveaway-Alex's Rub-a-Dub Toys

As we enter our last shopping week before Chirstmas we are featuring one more of our favorite gift ideas for your little one, and of course we're giving them away!

Alex's Toys was started in 1986 with a line of high quality basic arts and crafts products for children. Over the years, ALEX has grown and today produces over 1,000 items in expanded categories of toys: imaginative and dramatic play, fashion and jewelry, whimsical children’s furniture, Rub A Dub® and Tub Tunes® bath toys, ALEX Little Hands® preschool products and ALEX Jr.®, developmental, plush and bath toys for baby!

ALEX's mission is to provide children with quality creative products that foster personal expression and build self-esteem. Their attention to detail has not gone unnoticed, with over 300 awards from toy review organizations and leading consumer magazines. Alex believes the best children's activities provide lots of fun and they open a child's mind to new skills, new ideas and new worlds.

WIN IT!
We are giving away a gift basket of some of our favorite Alex's Tub Toys. The basket includes the following:

Rub-A-Dub Color Your Tub Fizzy Tints:



Turn ordinary bathwater into a tub of colorful fun! The primary colored tablets (50 each in red, blue and yellow) can be mixed and matched to create all the colors of the rainbow. There are enough tablets for over 50 colorful baths!

Rub-A-Dub Draw in the Tub:



Use this unique set of 6 bathtub crayons to draw colorful pictures on bathtubs, tile or your body! Soak the duck shaped sponge with water to remove your work of art. Fun, clean and easy to erase.

Rub-A-Dub Dirty Dogs:



Big soft dog squirters need to be cleaned at bath time. Magic ink "dirt" disappears in warm bath water and reappears as they cool. Set includes 4 dog squirters and a mini washcloth to get them clean. Phthalate-free. Safe for babies, too. Ages 6 months and up.


Here's how to enter.

First, fill out the entry form below. Only one entry form will be allowed per person - but read on to see how to earn extra entries! You must be 18 or older to enter. Void where prohibited. The giveaway will end at midnight (EST) on Christmas Day, December 25, and the drawing will be held on Saturday, December 26. The winner will be notified via email.

Earn 5 Extra Entries:
You can earn additional entries by doing any of the actions listed below. Each action is worth one additional entry. Please leave a comment listing each of your additional entries so that we can add them to the drawing.

1) Become a follower of our blog (if you already follow just leave a comment letting us know).
2) Become a follower of our Facebook fan page (if you already follow just leave a comment letting us know).
3) Post a link to this contest on your facebook page
4) Become a follower of us on Twitter (if you already follow us just leave a comment letting us know).
5) Tweet about this contest with a link back to this post.

Prince Lionheart Wheely Bee Giveaway-WINNER!

Congratulations to Nadine Larsen, winner of our Prince Lionheart Wheely Bee Giveaway!

We have one more Holiday giveaway left, so check back with us a little later to enter. And, if you didn't win, but you really wanted that wheely bee you can buy one at a discount here. Don't forget to enter coupon code FTB15 to get 15% off, and FREE SHIPPING if you spend over $99. The coupon code expires on December 24, so get shopping!

Hear Me Sign Workshop

It can be so frustrating for both you and your child when your child wants something and is not able to tell you. For that reason, many parents have chosen to teach their babies sign language so that they can begin communicating with their child at an early age. Since babies master using their hands before they obtain all the motor skills required for speech, they will be able to sign their needs and wants to you before they are able to speak. There are many benefits to teaching your child sign language, besides being able to communicate with your child early. Research shows babies who sign:

Speak earlier than non-signers
Experience less frustration
Develop larger vocabularies
Become better readers
Have IQ’s that are at least 10-12 points higher

Teaching sing language to your child is easy. Once your child is able to wave, point and look at an object that has dropped on the floor, they are ready to sign. To teach them a sign, like the word "more" for example, you would start to feed them some oatmeal, stop feeding them and then say "do you want more" while making the sign, and then start feeding them more oatmeal. You can do this later during playtime, while tickling the baby stop tickling and then say do you want "more" and do the sign. Then again at bedtime while reading books: "do you want more stories?" Of course, in order to teach your child sign language, you will need to know the signs yourself.

Our "Hear Me Sign" workshop will teach you common signs that you use every day during mealtime, playtime, bedtime and getting dressed. Once you learn the signs you will be able to reinforce them at home with your child. The workshop is designed for pre-verbal babies, toddlers and their parents, caregivers, and grandparents. Mother-to-be, nannies, teachers, etc. may also attend! The workshop is most appropriate for all children who are between 6 months and 12 months of age and not yet able to articulate. However, adults are welcome on their own and children from birth- 3 are welcome. Signs taught are developmentally appropriate and are based on American Sign Language.

The workshop is this Saturday, December 12, from 10:00-11:30am.

The cost is as follows:

$45 for 1 adult and 1 child
$80 for 2 adults and 1 child
$20 for each additional sibling (no extra charge for multiples)
$30 for 1 adult

Registration is required. Please register here.

Prince Lionheart Wheely Bee Giveaway!

In 1973 Tom and Linda McConnell started making rocking horses in their family garage. Thirty years later, their company, Prince Lionheart, is one of the leading manufacturers of baby products world wide. During Prince Lionheart's three decades, the company has led the field with creations to help babies grow up happy and safe. From wipes warmers, to bottles, to toys, Prince Lionheart's extensive product line still reflects the personal touch and care that went into those handmade rocking horses so many years ago. With 60% of it's products manufactured in it's corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility in Santa Maria California, Prince Lionheart is known for it's innovation and exceptional quality.

Prince Lionheart has come a long way from the rocking horse. Their latest innovation in ride on toys is the Wheely Bug collection. The distinctive shape of the Wheely Bug makes it very user friendly. Their bright and friendly design is an instant attraction to girls and boys alike. They go backwards, forwards, sideways, and round and round, so your child won't get stuck against obstacles like on some other ride on toys. Wheely Bugs help promote gross motor skills and balance like no other toy. Wheely Bug bodies have a padded layer of sponge which is covered with a tough layer of polyurethane leatheroid and can be easily wiped clean. They are great to use on smooth level floors and ideal for indoors. Wheely Bugs are constructed for years of fun and are sure to become an heirloom toy.

You can purchase the Wheely Bug at our store or here on our website-OR-you can WIN ONE!

WIN IT!
We are giving away a large Wheely Bee. Here's how to enter.

First, fill out the entry form below. Only one entry form will be allowed per person - but read on to see how to earn extra entries! You must be 18 or older to enter. Void where prohibited. The giveaway will end at midnight (EST) on Friday, December 11, and the drawing will be held on Saturday, December 12. The winner will be notified via email.

Earn 5 Extra Entries:
You can earn additional entries by doing any of the actions listed below. Each action is worth one additional entry. Please leave a comment listing each of your additional entries so that we can add them to the drawing.

1) Become a follower of our blog (if you already follow just leave a comment letting us know).
2) Become a follower of our Facebook fan page (if you already follow just leave a comment letting us know).
3) Post a link to this contest on your facebook page
4) Become a follower of us on Twitter (if you already follow us just leave a comment letting us know).
5) Tweet about this contest with a link back to this post.

Plan Toys Chalet Dollhouse WINNER!

Congrats to John Egan, winner of the Plan Toys Chalet Dollhouse Giveaway. John's name was randomly picked from a whopping 334 entries!

Don't worry! There will be more opportunities to win a great "green" toy for your little one. Stay tuned, the next giveaway will be posted this week!

HOLIDAY KICK-OFF SALE!

November 25, 27, 28 and 29 take 20% off* the entire store!

*all strollers and car seats are 10% off

No need to fight traffic and line up at the crack of dawn, just come into the store for some relaxed holiday shopping, or shop online and use coupon code holiday2009 at checkout.

Happy Thanksgiving from Nurture!

Recall Alert-Stork Craft Drop-Side Cribs

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Stork Craft Manufacturing Inc., of British Columbia, Canada, today announced the voluntary recall of more than 2.1 million Stork Craft drop-side cribs, including about 147,000 Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo. The recall involves approximately 1,213,000 units distributed in the United States and 968,000 units distributed in Canada.

CPSC urges parents and caregivers to immediately stop using the recalled cribs, wait for the free repair kit, and do not attempt to fix the cribs without the kit. They should find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby. Consumers should contact Stork Craft to receive a free repair kit that converts the drop-side on these cribs to a fixed side.

The cribs’ drop-side plastic hardware can break, deform, or parts can become missing. In addition, the drop-side can be installed upside-down, which can result in broken or disengaged plastic parts. All of these problems can cause the drop-side to detach in one or more corners. When the drop-side detaches, it creates space between the drop-side and the crib mattress. The bodies of infants and toddlers can become entrapped in the space which can lead to suffocation. Complete detachment of drop-sides can lead to falls from the crib.

CPSC, Health Canada, and Stork Craft are aware of 110 incidents of drop-side detachment; 67 incidents occurred in the United States and 43 in Canada. The incidents include 15 entrapments; 12 in the U.S. and three in Canada. Four of the entrapments resulted in suffocation: a 7-month-old in Gouverneur, N.Y.; a 7-month-old in New Iberia, La.; a 6-month-old in Summersville, W.Va.; and a 9-month-old in Bronx, N.Y. Included in these incidents are 20 falls from cribs; 12 in the U.S. and eight in Canada. Fall injuries ranged from concussion to bumps and bruises. The cribs involved in these incidents had plastic drop-side hardware that had broken, missing, or deformed claws, connectors, tracks, or flexible tab stops; loose or missing metal spring clips; stripped screws; and/or drop-sides installed upside-down.

This recall involves Stork Craft drop-side cribs and Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo. This recall does not involve any cribs that do not have a drop-side. This recall does not involve any cribs with metal rod drop-side hardware. It involves only those cribs with plastic trigger and one-hand-system drop-side hardware.

This recall includes Stork Craft cribs with manufacturing and distribution dates between January 1993 and October 2009. This recall also includes Stork Craft cribs with the Fisher-Price logo that have manufacturing dates between October 1997 and December 2004. The Stork Craft cribs with the Fisher-Price logo were first sold in the U.S. in July 1998 and in Canada in September 1998. The cribs were sold in various styles and finishes. The manufacture date, model number, crib name, country of origin, and the firm’s name, address, and contact information are located on the assembly instruction sheet attached to the mattress support board. The firm’s insignia “storkcraft baby” or “storkling” is inscribed on the drop-side teething rail of some cribs. In Stork Craft cribs that contain the “Fisher-Price” logo, this logo can be found on the crib’s teething rail, in the manufacturer’s instructions, on the assembly instruction sheet attached to the mattress support board, and on the end panels of the Twinkle-Twinkle and Crystal crib models.

Major retailers in the United States and Canada sold the recalled cribs including BJ’s Wholesale Club, J.C. Penney, Kmart, Meijer, Sears, USA Baby, and Wal-Mart stores and online at Amazon.com, Babiesrus.com, Costco.com, Target.com, and Walmart.com from January 1993 through October 2009 for between $100 and $400.

The cribs were manufactured in Canada, China and Indonesia.

For additional information you can click here, contact Stork Craft toll-free at (877) 274-0277 anytime to order the free repair kit, or log on to www.storkcraft.com

Important Message from Consumer Product Safety Commission:

CPSC would like to remind parents not to use any crib with missing, broken, or loose parts. Make sure to tighten hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy. When using a drop-side crib, parents should check to make sure the drop-side or any other moving part operates smoothly. Always check all sides and corners of the crib for disengagement. Any disengagement can create a gap and entrap a child. In addition, do not try to repair any side of the crib, especially with tape, wire or rope.