Finding Balance With Asperger's: 6 in 1 Webber Portable Therapy Center

I am always on the lookout for products that make my life easier, and the 6 in 1 Webber Portable Therapy Center is just such an item. This incredible therapy tool was designed to make a therapists life easier by having many tools they’d need right at their fingertips. I have found it to be a very useful tool in my homeschool as well.

This portable therapy center contains a magnetic dry erase board, pocket chart, Velcro receptive panel, acrylic mirror, and two removable pouches as well as pockets to store pens and everything else. It measures 13 ¾” x 12 ½” x 2 ¼” so it’s roomy enough for everything without being too bulky to transport. Plus it’s made of durable and easy-to-clean vinyl, so it can withstand minimal abuse and still come out looking nice. This genius setup is so handy and contains all the things I need right at my fingertips for teaching as well as doing at-home therapy for my 6 year old who has Asperger’s.


I keep this with my teacher supplies on a shelf so it’s right at hand when I need it. Inside the portable therapy center, I keep dry erase markers and eraser, pens/pencils, magnets, various felt items (for use on the Velcro board), and exercise cards to use with the pocket chart. Quinn can practice writing to improve his fine motor skills or just draw with the dry erase markers for fun. We have various sets of magnets for math or just pretend play that he uses when he’s done writing. Sometimes he even draws his own scenery then plays with magnets on top of his creations.


In addition to the above, we have felt and Velcro-backed items that we use similarly to the magnets. We have multiples of various items (such as bunnies, snowmen, frogs, etc.) which we use either for counting or making up stories with and I have themed ones that correspond to stories, like the Monkeys Jumping on the Bed set (pictured below). Felt board items are so fun and Quinn loves having stories illustrated in a different way. Plus, it’s always fun to get to make your own variations on books.

We utilize the mirror for practicing facial movements, which is especially beneficial for Quinn as he doesn’t always understand expressions.  We also use our hands for sensory experiences with shaving cream which provides excellent tactile input for both kids.

I really love how this therapy center is constructed and have thoroughly enjoyed using it for my kids. It is lightweight so it is easily moved, but the setup is obviously well thought out by people who know what they’re doing. I have no criticism for it at all; it’s a truly great product. This would be a handy tool for any teacher, home educator, or therapist.

You can purchase the 6 in 1 Webber Portable Therapy Center on Super Duper, Inc.’s website at www.superduperinc.com. It retails for $79.95.

Thank you to Super Duper, Inc. for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

"Night Buddies: Impostors and One Far-Out Flying Machine" (2nd Book in the Night Buddies Series)

Sands Hetherington is at it again with a brand new book in the Night Buddies series. Night Buddies: Impostors and One Far-Out Flying Machine is the second book in this series and we meet up with John, a young boy who is not quite ready to head off to slumberland. John and his friend Crosley (who also happens to be a red crocodile) must go and fight off some impostors: lots and lots of red crocodiles. Stakeouts, flying, chases and more make this book an epic adventure for all.

We hadn’t read the first Night Buddies book, but we followed along with this one quite well. It is well-written, action-packed, and completely entertaining. Both my kids (ages 11 & 6) loved it and I did as well. We will be on the lookout for more Night Buddies adventures in the future.

Night Buddies: Impostors and One Far-Out Flying Machine can be purchased at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble for about $8.99. Learn more about this series and the author at www.nightbuddiesadventures.com.


Thank you to Sands Hetherington for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Animal Buddies is a Fun Interactive Version of the Classic Reward Chart

Positive reinforcement is always good for children and I am always looking for fun and unique ways to accomplish this task. Animal Buddies from Super Duper, Inc. is a great tool for providing children with that much-needed enforcement.

Animal Buddies is an awesome, well-made and well-thought out tool to help children learn what is acceptable. This is specially designed for utilizing during therapy, but it can work at home too. For us, we put the approximately 80 “food” tokens into a plastic jar (not included) and set it next to the vinyl Animal Buddies box. When either one of my children complete their assignment, chore, or other good behavior, they put a “token” into the appropriate mouth slot.

There is a bunny and carrots, a dog and bones, an elephant and peanuts, and a monkey with bananas. My children get to choose which they feed and sometimes they even like to mix and match the food and animal. Once the jar is completely empty (for us this takes about a week, but this could be adjusted for any time frame or group of children), there is a reward for both boys.

Our boys love filling the box with foods and they love their rewards for doing this. This is especially great because both kids are working towards a common goal and no one can or will get there before the other which really eliminates arguments. I think this is a fabulous tool for motivation and know it will greatly improve our home life.

You can purchase Animal Buddies on Super Duper, Inc. at www.superduperinc.com for $29.95.


Thank you to Super Duper, Inc. for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

"David Carter's 100 - Lift the Flaps and Learn to Count!" Board Book

In our home, we love books. They are treasured materials that we read and re-read to go on adventures, learn, build our vocabularies, and more. It is truly an essential part of our lives and I always love trying out new books, whether they are children’s books, young adult, adult, fiction, or non-fiction. David Carter’s 100: Lift the Flaps and Learn to Count is a new book for children that teaches this valuable skill in a fun and unique way.

This book is one where children lift flaps to see the numbers, but it is more complex than most books of its kind because each flap conceals another flap . . . and another...and then another... Each flap contains 5 more flaps hidden within and you must lift the flaps to see what is inside. With 100 flaps to lift and count, kids are sure to find much delight in discovering this book’s hidden treasures. I know my kids really loved exploring it.

David Carter’s 100: Lift the Flaps and Learn to Count can be purchased where books are sold, such as Amazon.com. It retails for $17.95, but is currently selling for $12.74 with Free Super Saver Shipping.

Thank you to Sterling Publishing for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing an additional product for our contest prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

iLearn 'N' Play AppStart Learning iOS Learning Toys

Technology is everywhere, even in children’s toys these days. I love kids educational toys that incorporate technology because it’s exactly the kinds of toys my kids like to play with. Of course, they play with plenty of non-tech toys, but technology interests them and I understand that because it interests me too. So, when iLearn ‘N’ Play offered me one of the products from their new toy line I didn’t have to think about it, I just said yes.

We received the iLearn ‘N’ Play Adventure Explorer, a toy that helps teach and reinforce the alphabet to children. This fun app learning toy features a free app that pairs with the controller via Bluetooth and can be used with any iOS device. It is made especially for the iPhone, iPad, iPad Mini, or iPod Touch and comes with a sturdy, kid-proof case that houses your device to keep it safe while in play. The app can also be used minus the controller and you drive by tilting your iOS device.

Even though this game started out a pretty basic level (for a young preschooler), it builds as you go and eventually is more on Quinn’s level, though it’s still a bit basic for him. He loves it nonetheless and loves driving the car around and catching the letters he needs to complete the tracks.


The device itself works great, pairs easily with our device, and makes playing the game fun and realistic. The horns, blinkers, and ignition are a nice touch and make this even more fun to Quinn. It is made from sturdy plastic as well, so it should hold up well as long as it’s not used too roughly.

iLearn ‘N’ Play toys are available at Target. The Adventure Explorer retails for $39.99 and is recommended for children ages 3 and up. This toy requires 3 AA batteries, which are not included.


Thank you to iLearn 'N' Play for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our contest prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

The prize for this contest is the winner's choice of one iLearn 'N' Play toy.  When choosing, please consider the following . . . 

• The Adventure Explorer is compatible with the iPad, iPad Mini, iPhone, and iPod.
• The Learning Tablet is compatible with the iPad only.
• Robbi the Robot is compatible with the iPhone and iPod only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

Language-based Barrier Games for Developing Verbal and Listening Skills in Children

I have a new favorite among online stores in Super Duper, Inc. Super Duper carries amazing therapy supplies and boasts “fun learning for kids”, and they live up to that. Along with Ring Bling (a previous review), they sent me many other things like the MagneTalk Match-Up Adventures Kit. These language-based barrier games help children learn to follow instructions, give instructions, learn storytelling, improve vocabulary, and more. This set features five scenes (ocean, space, camping, picnic, and grocery store) and 10 matching magnets for each one. Because this a two-sided set, there are enough of each for both sides of the barrier, you can entertain and teach multiple children at once and it even has a workbook and instruction manual for teachers and therapists to use.

This barrier game set is amazing. I have been so thrilled with it and the valuable things it teaches. I started directing my children with instructions like, “put the empty basket on the picnic table” but eventually I moved to giving more complex ones like, “first you need to put the fish near the diver, then after you place the starfish in the center, place the treasure chest below it.” Following these kinds of complex instructions not only teaches them to pay attention, but also improves their auditory memory. My kids, like many, have trouble with following these kinds of verbal instructions and the barrier games have truly helped to improve this ongoing problem.


In addition to being educational, these are also fun and my kids have both found so much enjoyment in creating, tearing down, and recreating fun scenes with the pieces. They love making silly scenes, like putting fish in space, or creating personalities magnets and playing out dramatic interpretations. No matter how they play, they are learning and exercising their brains and that’s what I like to see.

As an added bonus, this set all stores away very nicely in a case so there is little chance of losing pieces or them being torn up by misuse. Plus, both sides of the barrier are dry erase as well, so the boys can use dry erase markers and draw their own fun scenes or do homework on it. I am also happy to report that this set is extremely well made so it is sure to last a long while. The magnets themselves are not lightweight or flimsy, they are very thick and would not be easy to tear up. I can honestly say this set has far exceeded my expectations and I am thrilled to add it to my educational collection.

You can purchase this and all of Super Duper, Inc. supplies on their website, www.superduperinc.com. Barrier games come in many varieties but this set with 10 scenes, 100 magnets, two-sided barrier, and carrying case for everything retails for $89.94.


Thank you to Super Duper, Inc. for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Celebrate Auntie Anne's 25th Birthday & Heart Health Month with the New Honey Whole Grain Pretzel

Auntie Anne’s, which serves up America’s favorite soft pretzels, is celebrating their 25th birthday this month and to coordinate with Heart Health Month, they have unveiled a new variety of pretzel, Honey Whole Grain. These delicious pretzels are 300 calories or less (260 without butter) and are made with real whole grain dough containing one full serving of whole grains (67 grams). This gives these pretzels more fiber, protein, and iron than many of their others. Plus, like all Auntie Anne’s pretzels, these are hand rolled and baked fresh throughout the day so you never get old, light-warmed pretzels.

Auntie Anne’s was kind enough to send us a birthday party kit which contained the game Twister to fit the theme, party supplies like pins and twisty straws, and 25 free pretzel coupons.

For our party, I invited several families to come but sadly only one family actually made it when the party day came. I was disappointed we didn’t have a better turn out, but we still had fun and it just meant we had more pretzels to munch on. We had a lot of fun sampling the new Honey Whole Grain pretzels as well as old favorites sour cream & onion and cinnamon & sugar. The new Honey Whole Grain pretzels are absolutely delicious and you can tell they are whole grains because of how filling they are. They are plain with just a hint of sweet (honey) and they go well with sauces or plain. All of us really liked them and were pleasantly surprised by how much.

We loved the party supplies that came in our kit.  The kids had fun playing Twister together and we even listened to some “twisting” music like Twist and Shout by The Isley Brothers and, naturally, The Twist by Chubby Checker. All in all, the party was fun, the pretzels were yummy, and we are thankful to Auntie Anne’s for letting us have this bash.

On March 9th, all Auntie Anne’s locations nationwide will be having a sampling day to let customers try out the new Honey Whole Grain pretzels. Mark your calendars! 

Also, until March 31, fans can get twisting in the “Twist and Win” online sweepstakes. Visit www.pretzelperfect.com for a chance to win $25,000, an all-new Apple iPad Mini, Coca-Cola beverages for a year, or a $25 Visa gift card. You can also follow Auntie Anne’s on Twitter and on Facebook.


Thank you to Auntie Anne's for providing complimentary product samples and a party kit to facilitate this post and for providing additional product for our contest prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

6 Children's Books About Love

It’s the time of year for love and Candlewick Press’ new books are a great way to talk about love this Valentine’s Day.

Bear in Love by Daniel Pinkwater finds a lovable bear with a secret admirer. His admirer gives him presents that make bear cheerful but curious. In return, bear leaves gifts for his unknown friend, but always falls asleep before he gets to find out who it is. This book is cute and sweet and perfect for Valentine’s Day or, really, any time of year. $15.99

In Olive and the Big Secret by Tor Freeman, Olive is told a secret by her friend, Molly, that she just can’t keep to herself. As secrets usually do, this one finds its way back to Molly and Olive is in big trouble. This is a sweet little book that teaches children about doing the right thing even when it’s hard and what it means to be a loyal friend. $15.99

Leslie Patricelli is out with another adorable board book for babies and toddlers with Huggy Kissy. Baby loves his hugs and kisses and isn’t afraid to hug and kiss even his pets. As with all the Patricelli books, this one is brightly colored with vivid pictures, perfect for the tiniest future readers. $6.99

Love Waves by Rosemary Wells is a two story book about a child that has to be away from his mommy and daddy and they send shimmering love waves to him to let him know they are thinking of him still. This book is nicely illustrated in pastel colors with shimmering teal waves to demonstrate the love wafting through the air. The book is written in poetry so it’s very soothing. $8.99

A Kiss Like This is a fun book by Mary Murphy that shows different animals showing each other love in their own unique way. This book is really bright and fun and every page is full of love with the words and illustrations. $12.99

And finally, my personal favorite of the lot, Otter and Odder: A Love Story. This is a charming little love story about an otter finding love with a fish, which is, of course, its food source. This book is so sweet and I love that it wasn’t just a “happily ever after” but Otter and his fish love had to figure out a way together. Plus, this book is really interestingly illustrated by Chris Raschka with simple pictures that are catching without being overstated. This one will go in my library as one of my favorite children’s books. $14.00

All of these books can be found where books are sold such as Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. You can learn more about Candlewick Press on their website, www.candlewick.com.


Thank you to Candlewick Press for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Ring Bling . . . a Crazy Fun New Game for the Whole Family

Teaching children to follow directions is always a good thing and the new game, Ring Bling, from Super Duper, Inc. helps to reinforce this positive lesson.

Ring Bling is a simple game in which children take turns choosing a “Happy Hand” for which to place their rings on. They then choose a card, follow its instructions, and spin the spinner to get one or two rings or possibly even give away a ring to their friend. The cards have simple, imaginative instructions like, “Kiss a slimy frog” or more complex, outlandish ones like, “Before you play the drums, play the guitar with your teeth.” Teaching children to follow these abstract directions gets them working many different parts of brain and gets those imaginations turning as well.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

I have to say that my whole family really liked this game. The fun, crazy instructions were fun for us all to act out and we had a blast laughing and pretending together. My kids were especially thrilled with it because it’s unlike any game we have ever owned. It is simple yet fun, unique yet entertaining. We highly recommend it.

Ring Bling can be purchased at www.superduperinc.com for $29.95. You can browse the Super Duper Inc. eCatalog to view their full selection of learning and developmental poducts.  Also, Super Duper, Inc. is giving 3G2S readers an exclusive coupon code for 15% off their purchase when used on their website. Please use coupon code KSBLOG1323 to take advantage of this deal. Coupon expires March 31, 2013.


Thank you to Super Duper Inc. for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a gift certificate for our contest prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

Living Green With Jerinda: Roux Maison Eco-Friendly Sport Detergent

If you’ve read my reviews before, you know that I love finding laundry detergent that is both natural and works well. In the past I’ve gotten some really great ones and Roux Maison has now joined with all the other great, eco-friendly detergents I’ve tried.

Roux Maison is a complete line of environmentally friendly laundry supplies that are hypo-allergenic, vegan, chemical free, fragrance free, biodegradable, and non-hazardous. Each is highly concentrated so they require less water to make and less packaging and energy to ship and they contain therapeutic-grade essential oils instead of chemicals to make them smell great.

We were sent the Roux Maison Sport detergent in Sweet Tea scent and I loved how it was scented without being overpowering and smelling toxic. The concentrated bottle is small but still does 40 loads of laundry in that one 16 oz. bottle. We have a high-efficiency washer and I was very pleased it was compatible with that. Plus this detergent is never tested on animals and is free of SLS, SLES, formaldehyde, pthalates, dyes, and any GMO ingredients, and it comes in a BPA-free bottle, a fact I loved. This detergent works well and all my clothes have been clean and smelled great since the first use. I am very happy with this detergent and would definitely buy it for my family in the future.

You can learn more about Roux Maison and purchase their line on their website, www.rouxmaison.com. This 16 ounce, 40 load bottle retails for $16.99.

Thank you to Roux Maison for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Historical Children's Books for Black History Month and More

History is an important part of education and teaching it in a fun and engaging way is very important to me. When I was offered three titles from Sterling Children’s Books, I was excited to introduce my kids to new books to broaden their learning.  February is Black History Month and would be the perfect time to introduce two of these history-rich books to your children.

What Was Your Dream, Dr. King? And Other Questions About...Martin Luther King Jr. features popular questions along with answers for children. This book by Mary Kay Carson does a great job of teaching kids about Martin Luther King Jr. with answers to questions such as "Why did more than 250,000 people march in Washington DC?" or "Has MLK’s 'dream' come true yet?". The pictures in this book are also very appealing and resemble real photos more than cartoon drawings. We read this book on Martin Luther King Jr. day and I was very pleased with the amount of information it gave my children.

Why Did the Whole World Go to War? And Other Questions About...World War II by Martin W. Sandler gives children kid-friendly answers to difficult questions about Nazi Germany, Hitler, and World War II. It touches on the takeover of Germany, Pearl Harbor, various battles, Anne Frank, the end of the war, and more. World War II can be a scary topic for children and I was impressed by how this book conveyed how serious the war was without striking unnecessary fear into them.

And finally, in time for Black History Month, is the newly published Poetry for Young People: African American Poetry. These beautiful poems are written by such influential authors as Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Lucille Clifton, and more. Each touching and memorable poem features a short introduction to the author’s history before reading their work and then has definitions of some harder or uncommon words at the bottom of the page. For my children, this was their first introduction to some of these authors and I loved getting the chance to share such an important part of our literary history with them.

Each of these books can be purchased online at www.sterlingpublishing.com, Amazon.com, and Barnes & Noble.


Thank you to Sterling Publishing for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: Funny Faces Oral Motor Therapy Game

Oral motor activities are great for children like Quinn because they don’t understand those subtle facial expressions that most people do. Funny Faces is a great oral motor game that makes learning the art of expression fun.

Funny Faces is a new game of social interactions as well as both oral motor practice and planning skills. Kids make a face that matches the card drawn and other players try to figure out which face they are mimicking. It’s a simple game that is easy to understand but teaches valuable skills to children who have trouble reading and comprehending facial expressions. The game includes 60 game cards, 30 face tiles, a game board, 4 wooden tokens for placing guesses, and a small mirror to aid with making faces. This cute game requires no reading and is designed for children 4 and up due to small parts.

Quinn really enjoyed this game and I was impressed with its simplistic play and yet valuable skills taught. Quinn definitely does not understand expressions on other people or on himself, so I am happy this game will teach him to pay attention to the way the mouth, eyes, and even cheeks look. I think this game will help him tremendously in the future.

Funny Faces oral motor game can be purchased from The Therapy Shoppe for $15.99.

Thank you to The Therapy Shoppe for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Nerf Infrared Night Vision Goggles and Camcorder (Review and Video)

Most kids, mine included, love night vision goggles, so the Nerf Infrared Night Vision Goggles and Camcorder is right up their alley. These super cool Nerf Goggles work both in the dark and light and let you see up to 10 feet in front of you, even when others can’t see. They also take video so you can capture your adventures on camera. Because they are goggles, they are even hands free so you can spy easily.


These goggles really do work very well. They are fun and not like anything my kids have ever owned before. They absolutely love stalking around in the dark and seeing things that regular eyes can’t. The camera takes good videos as well, which they think is fun. I was pleasantly surprised by them, I have to admit. I figured they would work, just not well, but they far exceeded my expectations. Like all Nerf products, they are made for kids and will hold up well over time, which is always a plus. I don’t think there’s any kid that I know who wouldn’t love these goggles.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

You can purchase the Nerf Infrared Night Vision Goggles on Amazon.com for $72.99 with free shipping.


Thank you to Nerf for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.  All opinions are my own.