Celebrating new Arm & Hammer Tooth Tunes toothbrushes featuring 1D songs

Did you know Canada.. This weekend we are invited to the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto for kids’ karaoke and brunch to celebrate the launch of Arm & Hammer Tooth Tunes toothbrushes. These two new toothbrushes are the only ones featuring two popular One Direction songs: “One Thing” and “What Makes You Beautiful”.

We are also excited to meet Adamo Ruggiero from YTV’s the Next Star who will be hosting this amazing event, a morning of kid’s karaoke where kids will have an opportunity to take a picture with a “virtual” One Direction and belt out favorite 1D or Selena Gomez hits.

Faniya
Teddy Out-Ready

Camp Expo 2013

Did you know Canada..  Toronto Representative Faniya has another great event update to share with us..

Spring is already here and we on the way of making plans for summer thinking about summer camp, adventures and vacation.

At the end of February we attended CampExpo2013, Canada’s largest camp fair to explore the day and overnight camps in Ontario and Quebec.  The week was snowy and stormy, but this did not stop parents and guardians to come to Roy Thomson Hall that day to learn about summer camps. The event was quite packed with attendees ready to find the right camp for their kids.   

The impression I received after talking to the Camp Representatives, most of them are people who work in camps with kids and even directors and owners, is that Summer Camps are more than just great places to spend summer days for your kids, Summer Camps are the places where kids continue learning the subjects and developing new skills but in another environments. Summer Camps are perfect for kids who want to advance their skills for example in sports or arts; or try something absolutely different never done before like kayaking or sailing. Choices are incredible! Some Camps caught my eye that day were Debate Camp which offers training in public speaking and debating; Camp KANDALORE traditional camp near the Lake Kabakwa focused on canoeing, canoe tripping plus about 30 other activities for kids; Camp Mini-Yo-We – unique combination of programs, activities and experienced staff with camp for boys, girls and Discovery Camp; CrestwoodValley Day Camp with first-class facilities in Toronto and exciting programming. There are so many to choose from.

There are lots of advantages of sending kids to camp from personal growth and skills development, teamwork to leadership, making friends and networking in a safe place. According to results of Canadian Summer Camp Research Project in 2012 over 65% of children showed positive change in making social connections and new campers showed the greatest degree of improvements in social integration.

If you did not attend Camp Expo this year, no worries, OurKidshas awesome resources starting from choosing the right camp, location and type to budgeting and safety. Happy Camping!

Faniya

Teddy Out-Ready

My Camp Memories #campexpo #campmemories

Did you know Canada.. Our Toronto Representative Faniya is sharing a camp memory and for doing so Our Kids will donate $5 to Kids in Camp!  This February 24th is Canada's Largest Camp Expo.  For families looking to find summer activities for their children, this is an event not to be missed.  Meet the leading day and overnight camps from Ontario and Quebec, choose from camps that focus on: arts, sports, education, special needs or an all around traditional experience - Faniya will be in attendance as well and reporting from the event!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2013
ROY THOMSON HALL
60 SIMCOE STREET, TORONTO
12:00 PM TO 4:00 PM


When I was a child I attended summer camp almost every year. Of course it was different when I was there as a kid and when I was there as a teenager. And I spent at least four weeks there. Four weeks out of school, assignments and parents’ guidance. What could be better!

First thing what comes to my mind is that we spent lots of time outside, it was like a rule and we loved it. We went hiking, exploring outdoors, sitting around a campfire.  I admired our nature projects about trees and plants; everything looked so different from my big city life: the tiny roads, untouched beauty around, beautiful flowers and this fresh scent in the air you can’t find anywhere else.

My councillors were like walking encyclopedia; they knew everything (or maybe I just thought that). They had answers to everything, the name of this little bug, how this tree grows, if I can eat these berries etc. We considered our councillors as friends, adults but friends for sure, so during our group sitting near campfire or somewhere near the lake we shared our school life stories, our problems and kids dreams; we asked questions we would never ask our parents or teachers like “Where all bad people come from and why?” or “Why people fell in love first then hate each other?”

My camps were also the places I developed some skills I was never able to do at home like sitting in driver’s seat or riding a horse; I was independent in some points and made my own decision like what tour I would take or what I wear which was really important to me.

I also made lots of friends there; I loved stories about their life, schools and family. We made groups by interest (during teenage age it was crucial). 

So I returned back home tanned, relaxed and full of stories of my adventures. And neighbours always commented that I had a good time. Yes I had.

Have your own unforgettable camp memories then share your stories and send a kid to camp so they will have their own adventures to tell about!

This year Kids in Camp, Our Kids are hosting very first Camp Memories Blog Link-up. For every Camp Memory added to the link-up they will donate $5 to Kids in Camp Charity!

 (Kids in Camp, a registered charity that subsidizes camping experiences for children and youth. They are dedicated to assisting families who might not otherwise be able to send their children to camp.

Kids in Camp makes the wonder of camp experience available to kids of all backgrounds. It’s an opportunity for them to gain positive life-long memories. It’s a chance to learn about nature, themselves and others. It’s all about creating wonder, hope and building confidence)

#PGMom Event

Did you know Canada..  we have some great info from our Toronto Rep Faniya, who attended the #PGMom event on our behalf..

Last month I had a chance to attend #PGMom Event. I know this is may be late to say about that but it just in time to talk about holidays. I find it was quite smart to invite Mom- influencers just before the holiday rush, since mostly Moms who clean, cook and bake, decorate, and take kids to holiday events. Holidays are truly special time as we all anticipate them the whole year, prepare for them, and create the magic with our own hands.  Who is that big helper for Moms and families to create holiday magical moments in their lives? I think you know the answer (and it is not Santa).

The event started with introduction to P&G history, lots of products created during long company life, innovated and the main point they did not stop on that, the company continues working on products improvements, design and non-stop research. I never realized that one Pampers diaper is such sophisticated system.

It was a real pleasure to meet Olympic champions Priscilla Lopes-Schliep and Christine Sinclair during the event, even take pictures with them.  I always feel inspiring when I meet sports people, they look awesome, exercise every day plus healthy diet, discipline and strong mind to win competitions.

Meeting P&G beauty experts was also a big adventure: Greg Wencel  Covergirl Make Up Pro, Luis Pacheco Consulting Colourist  and Justin German Pantene Pro-V Consulting Stylist. Pantene Mask and Demi-Permanent hair color were my favourites. We received mini-makeover, mini-manicure, introduction to new season colors and styles.

After we had a chance to walk through the P&G product displays split by categories:  products for everyone in a family including pets.  So I made a list of words reflecting P&Gproducts: soft, fresh, caring, beautiful, clean, shiny, protected and charged.  If you have some, please add them too.

Faniya
Teddy Out-Ready

ShesConnected Conference 2012

Did you know Canada..  last year I SO enjoyed the ShesConnected Conference in Toronto, but with the baby on the way it was not possible to plan travelling and conference tickets when I did not know where we were going to be come conference time.  Thankfully the awesome folks at Canadian Beef offered us a conference pass and our fantastic Toronto Representative Faniya was able to attend the ShesConnected Conference for Did you know Canada?.  See how it went..

This year I was really lucky to attend Shes Connected Conference 2012 in Toronto to represent Did you know Canada? I prepared in advance for this event including my grey outfit and learning in details the Conference schedule, but everything did not go as smooth as I expected. I became sick before the Conference so party evenings were closed for me but anyway I think I did a good job by attending the sessions and meeting brands. So my advice is do not get sick before the Conference.

I liked the Kate White session a lot; I think it was the first one that took my serious attention, two points still sit in my mind: first one - Go Big or Go Home and second one - Ask if you want to get it (may be these are not exact words, just how I got it). It was great to learn from Author, Career Expert, Speaker & Former Editor-In-Chief, Cosmopolitan Magazine.

Another interesting session I found was Claiming Blog Income: Blogger Compensation session, you can also get their free tax Guide at www.shoeboxbegone.com/sccto, great resources to find out about blogger’s business expenses.

I had a really good experience talking to the brands; I found it was one of the most exciting parts of the Conference.  Canadian Beef our sponsor to the Conference with nice booth and friendly people.  Almond Fresh with tasty drinks, Maple Leafwith lots of product we love to talk about.  We tried IOGOyogurt, played games with Elephotoand CAA, escaped with Ford after posing with Ford cars.  And everyone was so excited to get our Mabel's Labels “I LOVE CANADA” teeny tag.

One of my favorites was the Molson workshop about beer, cheese and luxury. So here’s what I learned and love to share: Molson Mpaired with Oka Classique, Rickards’s White paired with Brie, Molson Canadian 67 Sublime paired with Spicy Monterey Jack. Our beer was served in special beer glasses which everyone received (two of them) to take home after the session.

McCafe Lounge was so welcoming and cosy, I did not want to leave this place with pampering stations and live music.

So these were fantastic days to spend: to learn, network and communicate, plus every attendee received a generous swag bag in addition to brands gifts. I absolutely love my Ford T-shirt, a bag of organic wild Canadian rice and Molson’s beer glasses.

Now I am still looking through the material I received at the Conference, trying to apply what I learned for example legal aspects of blogging or visual elements.  And of course, looking forward to the next year ShesConnected in Vancouver, hope to take the most of it.

Faniya
Teddy Out-Ready

Mastermind’s 2012 Holiday Hits List

Did you know Canada..  Faniya, our Toronto Representative, has some great info for us from our friends at Mastermind..

Holidays and toys can’t exist separately. We continue to meet the best toy professionals and this October we had an opportunity to learn about Mastemind’s 2012 Holiday Hitsintroduced by   Mastemind’s top toy expert and CEO Jon Levy.

Mastermind Toysis Canada's leading specialty toy retailer with vast varieties of books and educational toys, science kits, microscopes, puzzles, software, music toys and arts & crafts. Products that arouse interest, enjoyment and curiosity in kids, develop imagination and creative thinking.

Mastemind Toys is the toy store where we play and shop quite often for puzzles and games. It is the store that my boy never wants to leave, only the promise that we are coming back very soon saves us.

So here are some our favorites of Mastemind’s 2012 Holiday Hits List we love to share with you:

• ·        Mastermind Exclusive SKoot Case Luggage, great for little traveller as it holds the most important travel necessities like books, puzzles and stuffed animals. It also folds up to look like a Vespa Scooter so you little one can scoot around the airport in style. Available in red, blue, pink and lilac.
• ·        Symphony IN B. Music Maker for a little composer. With the Symphony in B. Music Maker, kids mix and match 13 instruments onto the orchestra pit; when an instrument is added, that element of the music begins to play. Kids combine the elements to create an arrangement like a real conductor!
• ·        Master Kitz Art Kits for a growing artist. These kits teach the techniques and history of master painters like Van Gogh and Monet. Then, little ones are encouraged to create their own interpretations of some of the biggest masterpieces of all time with the included paints, stencils and brushes!
• ·        Sno Stompers With upcoming winter season these are must have snow shoes.  Sno Stompers have animal tracks underneath and leave cool dinosaur and bear tracks in your wake! Simply strap these on over your little one’s boots and stomp around in the snow!
• ·        BRIO classic wooden trains & track system made from Beech wood, it is very durable and built to last, the blend of complexity and simplicity with elements of nostalgia and the modern world. Brio features an extraordinary amount of detail and moving parts that allow trains to function exactly as they would in the real world. You can find the whole system set up in stores for kids to play.
• ·        COOL CIRCUITS - electrify your brain with this challenging puzzler! The object is to place all of the pieces on the board to successfully complete the circuit; do so, and the entire board lights up! Cool Circuits emphasizes spatial reasoning and abstract thinking with over 40 different challenges ranging from student to expert.

The full list of of Mastemind’s 2012 Holiday Hits can be found here.

We also very excited that new stores opened this fall in Barrie, Mississauga, Oshawa, Waterloo and Bayview Village (Toronto).

And do not forget that Mastermind offers complimentary gift wrap and personalized gift tags, just another reason to head over there and get some holiday excitement!

Faniya
Teddy Out-Ready

Healthy eating – healthy living with Lydia Knorr

Did you know Canada..  Toronto Representative Faniya has another great event to share with us..

Fall season is on its peak and we are slowly back to our routines. We also love fall for the holidays and seasonal foods, it offers. So this time of the year is very important to keep the right balance and eat healthy.

In October I was invited to meet Yoplait spokesperson and Lydia Knorr as well as other influencers to discuss family health and fall routines. It was like a round table discussion in elegant and cozy Moroco, located in Toronto downtown.  I like that everyone contributed to our conversation about family life as we all have kids and quite often we face same challenges like how to feed breakfast in the morning kids who just woke up and do not want to eat anything.  Or what serving sizes we should have for our kids as I cannot allow kids to eat all the nuts I have at home in just one sitting.

So I hope you will find these tips helpful as I found them for myself:

• * Eat your breakfast every day, this may sound familiar and simple but it is very important as after 7 hours of sleep your body needs some fuel, it is also the perfect opportunity to take milk products
• * Plan menu for a week, this helps you focus more of healthy choices for the upcoming week and plan accordingly instead of preparing whatever can be found in a fridge
• * Pack lunches the night before, also sounds so familiar but it is not only a healthy lunch prepared a night before it is also a good sleep and less stress in the morning
• * If your kid does not like veggies try to add some veggie sauces to pasta or meat or puree them
• * Look at the shopping labels (you know there are lots of info there), but here are three the most important ones: fibre (higher is better and cereals give the best choice), fats and sodium
• * Eat small and nutritious meals more often:  eat small meals throughout the day (every 3 to 4 hours) like fruits, pre-cut veggies, nuts and low fat yogurt

For more healthy tips, healthy and quick food ideas please take a look at Lydia Knorr’s web site: http://www.lydiaknorr.com/healthy-eating-tips.html
And finally happy and healthy eating is a very important part of our daily routine; let’s create an enjoyable experience for our families during holiday season.

Faniya
Teddy Out-Ready

Made By Hand Show - This Saturday!

Did you know Canada.. it's finally here!  The Made By Hand Show is this Saturday!!

Over 190 exhibitors, all with Hand Made, unique products - it's time to get Christmas shopping friends.

It opens at 11 and I suggest you get there early as the first 100 families get a free swag bag!  Bring the whole family, free face-painting and a surprise visit from a princess, everyone is going to have a great day.  And did I mention, FREE parking!!

Visit the Made By Hand Show website for directions to the International Centre so you can get to Hall 6 at 6900 Airport Road in Mississauga with no problems.

Children are free and only a $2 admission for adult with Door Proceeds benefiting Crafting for a Cure!

Click here to few all the vendors so you can make a plan about who you are shopping for!  From stocking stuffers to hand made jewellery  art and more, you can get a present for everyone on your Christmas list all in one stop.

Happy Shopping!!

Nickelodeon the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are with us this fall

Did you know Canada..  our Toronto Representative, Faniya, has some fun news to share from an event she attended a few weeks ago..

In September I attended media event to learn about the Teenage Mutant Ninja premiere. One of the most impressive and special part was the introduction of a bilingual augmented reality App to make The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle come to life through mobile devices. The Turtles AR Application could only be activated at Wal-Mart Canada store locations. It was like an adventure finding a hidden treasure but in a familiar environment.  

Wal-Martcustomers were invited to the stores and search for Turtles toy in the toy, apparel and entertainment departments.  When users unlocked their signature ninja moves they were able to meet a life-size turtle through their device. Turtles fans could photograph themselves with the turtle and then share via social media.  Plus an interactive game and a unique feature to customize photos with special Turtles badges.

The Amazing news is that all-new the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series debuted on YTV this September as Turtles emerge from their hidden lair in the sewers and ready to explore full of miracles world of New York City and face dangerous enemies. The show presents the companionship of four teenage brothers learning to rely on themselves and grow to become the heroes.

To all Turtle fans the all new the Teenage Mutant Ninjaproducts are available in stores, Wal-Martfor sure, including toys, boys’ apparel and footwear. My boy has lots of Turtle toys left from my grown-up nephews, I can ensure that all new Turtles product line by Playmate is incredible especially the Turtles Deluxe Power Sound FX Figures with awesome sound effects and heroic battle phrases. Wal-Mart also has on their shelves men’s retro Turtle’s T’s by JCorp, each one is unique in its wash and carries the vintage retro feeling of childhood. 

Faniya

Teddy Out-Ready

Mastermind’s 2012 Holiday Hits List

Did you know Canada.. our Toronto Rep Faniya has another great event to attend this weekend!

As holiday season is fast approaching and toys are usually must-have items for families especially with kids. This week-end we are invited to Mastermind Toys exclusive event: Mastermind’s 2012 Holiday Hits List. We are very excited to be first to see, touch and try the hottest new toys featured on Mastermind’s 2012 Holiday Hits List introduced by Mastermind Toys Chief Toy Buyer & CEO Jon Levy.

Faniya
Teddy Out-Ready

Healthy Eating with Lydia Knorr

Did you know Canada..  Toronto Representative Faniya has some great news..

This week I am going to meet Lydia Knorr, mom of three girls, Registered Dietitian and Yoplait spokesperson who is going to give us some expert tips to help families get back into healthy routine, that is so important but so hard to stick to especially on fall (season changes, Back-To-School, holidays preparations)

So here are some quick tips on maintaining a healthy routine from Lydia Knorr I learned so far:

•Eat breakfast every day to keep energized and fuelled for the entire day

•Plan meals ahead by creating a weekly menu that makes shopping and nutrition a breeze

•Create a wall calendar with appointments, chores and extracurricular activities all consolidated in one space

And I am excited to learn more about healthy eating and share with you later on Did you know Canada?

Faniya

Teddy Out-Ready

Toys"R"Us Vendor Fair

Did you know Canada..  Toronto Representative Faniya checked out a recent Toys R Us vendors fair, see how it went!

In August we were invited to Toy fair hosted by Toys"R"Us. That day I was very excited to learn about the coolest toys of upcoming holiday season. Luckily Toys"R"Us Chief Play Officer Julianne Bisnaire was there to talk about the hottest and most anticipated picks for the holiday season.

This showcase was filled with colorful, creative toys and gadgets starting with Winx Club that continue to surprise us with their magic and beauty presenting 11.5-inch  Feature Doll Magic Bloom and 2-Pack Doll Set- Bloom & Sky. Another girl’s favorite is Barbie and her new Sister’s Cruise Ship to take a magical trip. The boat has a pool, two slides for racing, a grand buffet and two beds with pillows and blankets so that Barbie and her three sisters could have a good time.

For crafty little hands there were lots of products, jewelry fashions to create your own jewelry, decorate bags, backpacks, shoes and accessories including ORB Factorykits for purses, pillows and mosaics sets.

     

The interesting and cute new plush toy FURBY that may develop a sweet personality if kids play nicely with it; but shake or pull FURBY to see its not so friendly behaviour. FURBYwill let kids know how it feels through its expressive LED eyes.

MegaBloks were very impressive with their displays and characters, same the LEGO booth with Monster Fighters.

Kids gadgets are coming into our lives and becoming more sophisticated every year ; tablets, games and apps are new must-have items not only for adults, kids want to have them too like Leap Frogs LeapPad2 with front-and-back cameras and video recorders, e-books, music, downloadable learning apps (available on-line too).  The subjects like reading, math and science on LeapPad2 are fascinating adventures where kids play the major role. The Kurio Kids Tablet is a full-featured Android 4.0 tablet with a multi-touch touchscreen, front and rear facing cameras, Wi-Fi and HDMI & USB connections. Kiddos can watch videos, surf the web, play music, take photos, read e-books and download apps.  Wii Fit U scored with unique possibilities for gaming allowing each player to reach different challenges and views within the same shared gaming experience.

So lots of toys I saw that day and walking through this toy paradise I am almost sure I met Santa’s Reps learning what will be on kid’s wish list this holiday season. This only means we are going to visit Toys"R"Us   more often next months!

Faniya

Teddy Out-Ready 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Augmented Reality App with Nickelodeon

Did you know Canada.. our Toronto Rep Faniya is heading to another fantastic event!

Tomorrow we are invited to a special sneak-peak event to experience Nickelodeon and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This September Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will emerge from their hidden lair in the sewers to announce the debut of the new CG-animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, airing on YTV Saturday, Sept. 29.

To celebrate this incredible debut, Nickelodeon & Walmart stores across Canada will be launching a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles App introducing consumers to a bilingual augmented reality (AR) experience. What an opportunity to play around with some of the TMNT action figures and being first to experience AR unlike ever before!

Faniya
Teddy Out-Ready

Future Shop - Video

Did you know Canada..  we thought we'd give you an inside peek at the Future Shop Home Theatre Event our Toronto Rep Faniya attended.

Winx Club Launch at Toys”R”Us

Did you know Canada..  we have another event update from Toronto Rep Faniya..

To celebrate the debut of WINX club in Canada and the largest & eye-catching WINX selection at Toys”R”Us  we were invited in August to Sherway Gardens’s store where more than 40 Toronto-based  girls magically transformed into WINX fairies.  

Even though we arrived a little bit late to the event we were able to catch this enchanted fairy land beauty.  Little WINXfairies were around us with magical wings from Bloom’s Winx Boutique. I saw girls taking dancing lessons in Musa’s Dance Studio. I visited Flora’s Fashionable Flip Flops Décor Studioto decorate footwear with other fairies. Stella’s Style Studio offered a magical makeover for little fairies:  makeup and mini manicures.  Plus mini cupcakes, pizza,watermelon treats.

We were very excited to check the largest assortment of WINX products.  Can you imagine how much beauty you can find at Toys”R”Us ?  Bloom, Stella, Flora, Musa, Tecna, & Aisha, their pretty outfit and accessories.  

Faniya

Teddy Out-Ready

Future Shop Home Theatre Event

Did you know Canada.. Toronto Rep Faniya attended another fantastic Future Shop event for us, see how it went..

If you like our Future Shop series we have a new report from Home Theatre Event happened in Toronto this August. With upcoming holiday season and colder weather outside it is nice to spend some time at home and enjoy movies with surround sound and a large screen thanks to Future Shop’s Home Theatre products that bring a truly cinematic experience to our living rooms.

During the showcase the best manufactures like LG, Logitech, Marantz, Pioneer, Samsung, Sony, ConnectPro and many others (3 huge rooms) presented their incredible products and innovative features in home entertainment.

So the first group is SmartTVs that become comparable to a smartphone with Internet, apps, social media, games, movies and TV programs.  You can watch TV, browse the Internet and check sports results.  So everything starts with a homepage where you can choose what you like to do – watch a movie, TV program, open your Facebook, tweet or check the upcoming event using a sophisticated remote like Sony’s with remote control features on one side and a keyboard on the other or LG’s Magic Remote.

As an example is LG 60" 1080p 120Hz LED Smart TV (60LS5700) featured Full HD resolution, 120Hz refresh rate technology,  Wi-Fi and DLNA wireless capabilities and HDMI, Ethernet, USB, and PC connectivity options or LG 42" 1080p 120Hz LED Smart TV (42LS5700-UA) that provides viewers with incredible picture performance and endless entertainment options, only use your Magic Remote Control.

Amazing Samsung 50" 1080p 60Hz LED Smart TV (UN50EH5300FXZC) with outstanding picture quality and Skype;  TV that can interact with other Samsung products. You can connect to TV with your Samsung Galaxy, look through albums, choose photo or document and send it to the printer or turn on your washing machine or a dryer using the Samsung Smart Washer/Dryer app. 

And what an entertainment without amazing sounds, so I was really excited to learn about Marantz, the company that has been creating incredible audio systems for over 50 years. During the showcase they presented their products and one of them is Marantz 700-Watt 7.2 Channel Network Receiver (SR5007) having 7.2 audio channels with discrete power amplifiers and 700 Watts (RMS) of power to deliver an unforgettable listening experience, plus multi-room feature lets you watch a movie in one room while listening to music in another. Marantz Remote App is free for download and makes it possible to control the receiver from your Apple iOS or Android device.

Pioneer also gave us an opportunity to discover their amazing products, including Pioneer 980-Watt 7.1 Channel Network Receiver (VSX-1022-K) with support for high-definition audio formats, including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio delivering loud, clear, powerful and vivid sounds.  Free Pioneer app turns your smartphone into a powerful remote control for the receiver plus the ability to play music directly from your devices in wifi network.

So these are just some of the products in Home Theatre category, for more information you can always check Future Shop web site or just drop by your nearest Future Shop store.  Their professional staff is always ready to help you with home theatre products, created with only with one purpose to give us a perfect home entertainment experience.

Faniya

Teddy Out-Ready