This holiday season, the family and I are looking forward to cozying up with some hot cocoa and watching holiday classics and some of our favourite family flicks. And luckily, YTV has an incredibly festive lineup of feature films and specials all throughout the month of December. Personally, I'm looking forward to watching The Muppet Christmas Carol, airing on December 22, Home Alone, airing on Christmas Day, and Wall-E, airing on December 28. To see the full lineup,  visit YTV.com or click on the thumbnail below:

A few weeks ago, our family was sent an incredible package full of TV holiday cheer, direct from The Kids Table's workshop. It was jam-packed with goodies including an Elf glass, festive popcorn from Toronto Popcorn Company and so many toys featuring lovable characters from YTV and Treehouse. It was such a heartwarming surprise, my daughter and I decided to head out to Toy Drive Live at CF Shops at Don Mills last week to donate some of these toys in support of the Toronto Fire Fighters' Toy Drive. The event was hosted by Global News and partners, and featured familiar faces such as Peppa Pig, Spongebob, Marshall, the hosts of YTV, Cheryl Hickey, and even Santa himself.

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Just dropped off some unwrapped toys at @cfshopsdonmills in support of the @toronto_firefighters #ToyDriveLive with @globalnewsto. Love my new ornament! Off to enjoy some tasty treats... Remember you can come by until 8pm with unwrapped toys and enjoy some family-friendly fun! #christmas2018 #kidscharity #twittergram

A post shared by Diana Mancuso (@torontomom) on Dec 6, 2018 at 2:38pm PST

My favourite toys of the bunch were these Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures. These collector toys, designed for kids age 12 and up, include newly designed accessories and come in their own sleek looking window box, perfect for display. Seeing these toys brought back the nostalgia of watching TMNT when I was a kid. Now I get to enjoy these heroes in a half-shell with my son on YTV, Fridays at 5:30pm!

There were also toys featuring characters from Treehouse's Sunny Day These dolls are super cute and come with fun mix-and-match accessories.

Also, I'm excited to share with you an exclusive preview of some brand new toys from Treehouse's Top Wing, an action-packed adventure preschool series featuring Top Wing cadets: Swift the blue jay, Penny the penguin, Rod the Rooster, and Brody the Puffin. These toys will be available in stores this February. And don't forget to tune into Treehouse on Sundays at 8:05am to catch all the action

What is small, round, bright and can be used to drive, play games and learn to code? It's Sphero Mini, the ping-pong sized robotic ball. This tiny tech-infused ball is a miniature version of Sphero 2.0, the world's first app-enabled robotic ball. Although Sphero Mini is itty bitty in size, it still packs a whole lot of innovation, making it a super cool and affordable gift idea this holiday season.

Finally, my favourite feature of the Sphero Mini is the ability to program it using the Sphero Edu app. You can draw, drag blocks, or code text with Javascript thanks the latest Sphero Edu app update. And because the Sphero Mini costs $69.99, this makes it a more affordable alternative for coding clubs and STEM education in schools. The Bluetooth-enabled Mini has a 10M range and can be charged with the included micro USB. It has LED lights that glow in any colour, as well as a gyroscope and accelerometer, providing endless coding abilities. Charging time is decent at 1 hour for a full charge that lasts for 45 minutes of continuous play. It is also compatible with iOS 10+ and Android 5.0+. To recharge, you have to remove the shell, which means, unlike Sphero 2.0, you can play with the Mini in water. However, this does mean you can interchange shells, which are available in blue, green, pink, orange and white. For more information, visit sphero.com.

Disclosure: I received product to help facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

With the holidays just around the corner, I am sure many of us are already on the lookout for gift ideas. At least, I know I am. I love gifting block kits such as LEGO sets but this year, there's a fabulous gift idea to complement toy blocks. Introducing Mayka Toy Block Tape, a revolutionary idea licensed from the ORIGINAL Nimuno Loops. I had supported their Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign earlier this year and absolutely love how it can transform virtually any surface into a base for construction toy bricks and figures.

Mayka Toy Block Tape is a flexible and cuttable surface with an adhesive backing that can be used to make 3D creations. Mayka Tape is compatible with LEGO® toys and other major toy construction brands. It comes in a wide variety of colours, widths and lengths, and can be easily cut with scissors to the desired length. Then you remove the adhesive seal from the back, making not to place it near any hair, dirty floors, food, or other surfaces that may damage the adhesive. Place the tape to a clean surface. Please note that it is not recommended for use on painted surfaces.

Mayka tape can be removed and re-used, provided that the adhesive is in good condition. But like any adhesive product, it will get less sticky if re-used several times. We first tried it on our mirrored closet door. We began by adding a strip to the mirror and applied square bricks sideways. Then we applied a second strip of Mayka tape on the top side of those squares so that we could also build vertically.

In the Huffington Post article "Why Do We Fidget?", the author explores the possibility of a biological reason behind why people fidget. According to Karen Pine, a professor of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire who researches gesturing, the area of the brain involved in movement is also the same area of the brain involved in speech. (This makes a lot of sense to me and is one of the reasons why I'm looking forward to using the AIM approach in my French as a Second Language classes this year.) Think about it: could you go through an entire conversation without ever once using your hands, shaking your head, shrugging your shoulders or using facial expressions? The article references a study of schoolchildren between the ages of six and eight who were able to move their hands during a lesson and were more likely to get the correct answer. I find the whole thing very interesting and, whether or not fidget toys can help boost productivity or relieve stress, I can tell you my son really enjoys them and likes to use his new ZURU Fidget Cube and Spinner at school all the time.  

As a teacher, I can tell you that you that spinners have become widely popular among students of all ages. I love playing with them, too! They are almost mesmerizing and definitely have a calming effect. But some of the spinners I've seen are pretty loud when the spin. And even louder when they accidentally crash to the floor. The ZURU Spinner by Antsy Labs is specially designed with high quality materials for premium durability and the ball-bearings feature the latest in low-friction technology. However, I prefer the original Fidget Cube. Made with high-quality plastic, it is quite durable, unlike the copy fidget cube I spent way too much on only to have the round button fall off within a matter of days. Nope. My son's Fidget Cube by Antsy Labs has held up very well and the buttons have a slightly audible click that he finds to be "satisfying". 

The main reason I like the Fidget Cube is its size. It is substantial enough for adult hands and yet small enough that children can play with them discreetly. These fidget cubes and spinners are just some of the innovative toys manufactured by ZURU Toys, the makers of Bunch O Balloons. You can find them at Toys R Us and other select retailers.

Disclosure: I received product to help facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

When I was growing up, summertime fun was synonymous with water play. We never had a pool but could always rely on the sprinkler to cool off and have fun with kids on our street. On weekends, our family would take us to the beach for the day and we'd have a blast swimming in the lake, tossing a beach ball or diving for rocks. There weren't any smartphones or mobile devices to distract us from the wonderful childhood experiences we had yet to discover. A highlight would always be playing with water balloons and how much fun it would be to have throwing competitions to see how long we could keep a water balloon from breaking. Filling up the balloons with water and knotting each of them wasn't quite as fun. This year, the kids and I experienced a revolutionary solution to the water balloon woes of days past - Zuru Bunch O Balloons!

Buncho O Balloons are self-tying water balloons that are incredibly easy to fill and tie. I kid you not, they couldn't have made it any easier. For review, we were sent a couple of packs of Bunch O Balloons Minion 3-packs, each containing three bunches. All you need to do is remove air from your water hose, connect the hose to a Bunch O Balloons, rest them on a level surface or in water, fill them to 4 inches and pull up quickly. The water balloons have O Rings that will automatically tie the balloons for you. It's brilliant! You could literally fill about 30 balloons within a matter of seconds. The Dispicable Me balloons are a bright yellow and there are Minions hidden among them. I particularly love that Bunch O Balloons and O Rings are biodegradable and recyclable.

As a child, counting down to Christmas was a surefire way to brighten our spirits once the weather turned cold. Sometimes the countdown would end sooner than usual if we had a family vacation down south to look forward to. Whether we spent the holidays at home with the family or abroad on the beach, holiday smiles were pretty much a guarantee. Today, as a mother of two, I realize how much I had taken that all for granted. For the first time, we will be spending time in the hospital visiting with my mother-in-law who recently slipped and broke her leg. This was devastating news for my youngest, who wanted desperately to see her but was hit hard by the stomach flu. It was a difficult reminder that life isn't always easy; that illness and injury can take us all by surprise. 

For thousands of children and their families, the holidays will be spent in Canadian hospitals. But because Duracell believes in powering the imagination of sick children by helping to ensure kids can still be kids, they can still enjoy the magic of the season. For the 10th consecutive year, Duracell is donating a year supply of batteries to hospital playrooms across the country. The goal: to power smiles and imagination this holiday season and beyond. Knowing that a new working toy or game can help make a child's hospital stay a little brighter, Brampton singer Alessia Cara joined Duracell, who donated $180,000 to SickKids in her name, to promote their Powering Smiles campaign. In addition, Duracell, in partnership with Hasbro, also delivered a shipment of toys, along with the batteries to power them. Among these toys was the new Furby Connect.

In our home, Furby has been bringing smiles to my kids for the past four years. It first started with the original Furby and then the family expanded with a Furby Boom. For each one, we always made sure to use Duracell batteries. This year, we are thrilled to welcome Furby Connect to the family. My favourite features are his moving ears and his colourful eyes that display more than 150 animations to help express what Furby wants. You can pet him, tickle him, shake him, or turn him upside down. Furby reacts each time! Plus, when Furby Connect syncs with the Furby Connect World app, there are more physical and digital ways to interact and more surprises to discover, making this a great gift idea for the holidays. And don't forget to power Furby Connect with Duracell batteries since Duracell makes the magic of the holidays last longer.

For every pack of Duracell batteries sold at Walmart in December 2016, Duracell will donate to Children’s Miracle Network. Now only will you avoid a child's disappointment in receiving a battery-operated toy that is powerless, you will also help make a child’s hospital stay a little brighter. Join the Powering Smiles Campaign and help them reach this year's goal to raise $150,000.

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Duracell. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Many moms will agree that those special moments you share with baby are among the most memorable moments we will ever have. Whether it's enjoying baby's first bath or watching baby roll over for the first time, we will never forget the emotions that arise when we witness a special milestone. To help today's busy mom make the most of her time together with baby, Fisher-Price, the world's most trusted brand in toys, is there to support parents with toys geared to each and every stage of your child’s growth, including all those special milestone moments. Their wide range of innovative baby gear and engaging toys continues to expand to support babies as they grow and help ensure those unforgettable #FPMommyMoments.

To celebrate, we will be chatting about those special moments and giving away some incredible Fisher-Price prizes at the #FPMommyMoments Twitter party and you're invited!

Date: Thursday, June 11, 2015

Time: 8:00 pm EDT

Party Hashtag: #FPMommyMoments

Hosts: @Listen2Lena and @thesocialcommon

Prizes: 

• 1x Smart Connect Mobile – Rainforest Friends ($69.99)
• 1x Deluxe comfort curve™ bouncer ($59.99)
• 1x Deluxe Take Along Swing & Seat ($99.99)
• 1x Newborn-to-Toddler Play Gym ($69.99)
• 1x SpaceSaver Jumperoo- Woodland Friends ($79.99)
• 1x 4-in-1 Rock ‘n Glide Soother ($149.99)
• 1x 4-in-1 Smart Connect Cradle 'n Swing ($249.99)

• 4-in-1 Smart Connect Cradle 'n Swing
• Deluxe comfort curve™ bouncer
• Rinse ‘n grow tub
• SpaceSaver Jumperoo
• Newborn-to-Toddler Play Gym
• Smart Connect Mobile
• BeatBo
• Smart Stages Puppy (or Sis)
• Smart Stages Piggy Bank
• Puppy’s Smart Stages Speedway
• Smart Stages Tea Set

RSVP below for a chance to win. (Prizes are available to Canadians only.)

New to Twitter and/or Twitter parties? I have written the following tutorials to help you out, complete with screenshots:

Thinking back to when my kids were wee babies, I recall those special toys and baby gear that saved my sanity during what was an overwhelming time in my life. Sometimes, all I needed was just ten minutes to myself to recoup. Luckily, I could turn to Fisher-Price gear such as the Snugabunny Cradle Swing to keep baby content while I relished in a much-deserved cup of coffee. Or, when baby wanted to play, I could count on Baby's First Blocks to enjoy a special moment with baby, sorting shapes and having fun together. They are moments like these that have inspired the Fisher-Price Mom’s Top 10, a collection of Fisher-Price baby toys and gear that moms have relied on for years. Plus, you'll find new favourites that are sure to become instant classics.

Want to find out which toys and gear made the Top 10? Join us for the #FPMomsTop10 Twitter Party! In addition to sharing these top toys, we will also chat about those special #fpmommymoments and giving away some truly fabulous prizes.

Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Time: 8:00 pm ET

Party Hashtag: #FPMomsTop10

Host: @Listen2Lena

Prizes: One of each of the #FPMomsTop10 baby toys and gear. PLUS, one lucky winner will walk away with ALL TEN!

RSVP below for a chance to win. (Prizes are available to Canadians only.)

New to Twitter and/or Twitter parties? I have written the following tutorials to help you out, complete with screenshots:

With February looming around the corner, it's hard to believe it's been fours weeks since we took our son skiing for the first time. It was a last-minute family getaway, one that began with a cold evening of fun at Horseshoe's Tubing and Adventure Park. I took my daughter there last year so I am glad we had a chance to share the experience with my son this time around. I will never forget the look on his face when he smiled a great big toothy smile as we flew down the chute on a cushy tube. The following day, we took to the bunny hill and faced cold winds and freezing snow. We wanted to ski some more but the weather wasn't cooperating. Surely we would return for some more wintry fun, right?

We aren't quite halfway through the winter season and, while we haven't been back yet, I am hopeful we will return to the slopes before the snow disappears. What little we have of it, that is. The below-freezing temperatures are a bit of a deterrent and have made it hard to find the time to send the kids outside. This means I have had to find alternate activities to occupy the kids and keep boredom at bay while stuck indoors. We've played board games, watched movies, read books and tried out some new video games. But sometimes it just wasn't enough. So of course, I made it my mission to add some extra cheer, especially where my son is concerned. He loves playing outside with the neighbours and gets really down when he has to stay inside on extremely cold days. I was at the store last week when I noticed a set of KINDER® Surprise Valentines. I picked up a set each of the Transformers and Disney Fairies limited edition sets, saving them as an extra special treat on an extra cold day.

And surely, my son was happily surprised. The look on his face when he saw his new little toy was enough to melt my heart. He has now decided that he wants to collect the entire set and already has three, including his favourite - Bumblebee. He also has his eyes set on the new race cars in the 2015 toy collection.

My daughter has already found some of the new toys, including a little green ball, and is starting her Disney Fairies collection.

For as long as I can remember, bedtime has always been a challenge with my first-born. As a newborn, she would often fuss and cry at night but I thought if we could just implement a routine as she got older, things would get easier. And sometimes it did. But mostly, it didn't. It turns out, she needed someone with her in her room every night. Yet for me, I needed her to go to sleep on her own. I was often tired and if I were to lay down next to her, I would inevitably fall asleep in an awkward position on her twin bed and wake up with an arm resting on my face. I'm sure many parents can relate. Lots of fun, right? Nope. I needed to sleep in my own spacious bed and I needed my daughter to find ways to self-soothe. My husband, however, would prefer to lay down next to her than have her call us repeatedly to her room out of fear of the dark. We have tried a few different night lights but, even at nine years of age, she was still afraid of being alone in her room at night. Until we met Charley the Chameleon, that is.

Initially, I had intended for my six-year-old son to have Charley because it was designed for babies and toddlers, I thought to myself. Surely the novelty would wear off and then I could pass it on to my baby nephew or my three-year-old goddaughter. While my son loved it, he really didn't need it. He's always been a pro at sleeping and would often sleep for 10-11 hours a night since he was one month old. But because Charley is so cute, my kids decided to take turns with him each night. What ended up happening? My daughter kept him in her room and my son really hasn't asked for him in weeks. Which is perfectly fine because for the first time in a very, very long time, my daughter will go to bed without asking me to say with her. I'm still having a hard time believing it myself, but it's true! I feel like bowing down to the Cloud B gods and saying, "I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!"

Hot holiday toys are in abundance this year and the adrenaline-powered Ollie robot is just one example. But if you're looking for something a little more toddler-friendly, VTech has an amazing playset that will be sure to provide endless hours of fun - the Go! Go! Smart Wheels® Ultimate Amazement Park Playset! With three cool courses and over 70 sing-along songs, melodies, sounds and phrases, there is so much to explore.

The Go! Go! Smart Wheels® Ultimate Amazement Park Playset is no small toy. It is more than 3 feet long and will take up some floor space but the neat part is that you can connect it to other Go! Go! Smart Wheels® playsets to encourage creativity and develop your child’s imagination (each sold separately). Assembly requires a screwdriver and there are several parts and stickers so I suggest setting aside some time to put it together, such as during nap time.

Place the included SmartPoint race car at the top of the tower, pull the flag and watch it race through the 360-degree loop, spiral or ramp. Your child will have plenty of fun navigating the car through obstacles all the while building motor skills.

As the race car drives over one of 8 SmartPoint locations, it responds with different music or fun sound effects. 

Thinking back on how many toys the kids have had over the years, I am flabbergasted by the number of toys that served their purpose for a relatively short time. In some cases, my kids simply had no interest. In others, the kids outgrew them faster than the designer outfit their aunties bought for them for Christmas. With the exception of a really sweet party thrown together by colleagues at my first school here in Toronto, I never had a baby shower so we were very particular with what we purchased for our growing babies. Several toys the kids enjoyed in their toddler years were in fact handed down from my nephew or from my goddaughter once they no longer needed them, many of them bearing the Fisher-Price logo. These were the toys that I look back on with fondness, in addition to a must-have nursery item - the Fisher-Price Cradle N Swing - which I had purchased second-hand. Not only were they sanity-savers, they were extremely durable and withstood endless hours of play even after three or four children outgrew them. But just imagine if they could last even longer, adapting to developmental stages as your child grows, just like the new Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Chair!

One of the things my kids liked to do when they were infants was mimic mom and dad. They wanted to be just like the big people and the original Laugh & Learn chair was perfect for that. With the NEW Smart Stages Chair, little ones can do that and whole lot more. And with simple, straightforward assembly, mom and dad can have the chair ready in no time. It comes with five parts, screws and instructions which I suggest you read first. It took me less than five minutes to build before I realized that it is much easier to install the batteries first before assembling the rest of the chair. Also note that the conjoined rear legs have a protruding lip which helps prevent the chair from tipping backwards when baby tries to mimic daddy's infamous reclined position.

The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Chair has a similar flip book as the original with brightly-coloured images.

In lieu of a lamp, the new chair has a light-up remote to help teach baby about numbers and shapes.

It also features a "magic" ABC seat that knows when baby sits, activating learning songs and phrases when baby stands. And the lift-up cushion is perfect for a fun game of peek-a-boo.

But what makes this chair so unique is the Laugh & Learn Smart Stages technology. It is what allows this chair to evolve with age-appropriate learning content that suits your child's learning stage, all with a flip of a switch.

September is typically a busy month for many parents and doubly so for those of us who are teachers as well. With the hustle and bustle of the back-to-school season, it is easy to get caught up in the routine of daily lunch prep, homework, piano practice, dance class and tennis lessons. Honestly, I don't remember ever being this busy when I was a kid. I do, however, remember how my parents would bring home a special treat for us. Sometimes it would be in recognition of our best efforts in school. Or sometimes it would be for no particular reason at all. Whatever the case may have been, unwrapping a KINDER® SURPRISE® egg always put a great big smile on my face and gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. It also brought my parents much joy to see us so happy as we assembled our little toy while enjoying a sweet treat. And now, decades later, I get to revel in the same joy with my own children. And this month, I rejoin a fabulous group of KinderMoms, KinderDads and KinderMamans to bring you the latest and greatest on KINDER® Canada! 

This month, KINDER® launches their newest toys that can be found in specially marked KINDER® SURPRISE® eggs. Transformers and Disney Fairies fans will want to keep their eyes peeled over the next few weeks as these special treats will be hitting store shelves. There are 8 Transformers toys and 10 Disney Fairies toys available in specially marked KINDER® SURPRISE® eggs. I am personally looking out for Tinkerbell and Bumblebee.

For those who haven't heard, on August 30 at the CNE, KINDER® Canada broke a GUINNESS World Record for the most people opening candy at the same time. We're talking 817 KINDER® eggs, people! Participants received a free chocolate treat to help break this record and all I can think of was how many different toys they must have found inside.

My kids are at that age when the thought of adopting a pet is at the top of their minds. This is especially true when they visit their grandmother who owns a super cute dog named Luna. She is always so excited to see the kids and has so much fun curling up next to them. When they go for a walk to the park, she walks alongside them with her tail wagging happily. And when we leave, they are sad to part ways. As much as I would love to own a pet dog, I am not equipped with the patience that is required in taking care of an animal and cleaning up after them. Picking up doggy doo-doo while it is still piping hot is revolting and having to worry about potty training a puppy is not what I need at this particular point in my life. "How about a goldfish, mommy?" Well, that does require a little less work to take care of. But wait! How about a pet Aquabot?

What could be better than a pet HEXBUG that looks like a fish and acts like a fish? And better still, when it dies, you can just replace the batteries and he's as good as new! Our new pet Angelfish is similar to the HEXBUG Aquabot Shark and Clownfish. It is built with smart fish technology and added sensors, and gives off an inner glow to make it look more alive. There is also a Hammerhead Shark that looks just as cool.

Our pet Aquabot 2.0 came with his own fish bowl. Just fill with water and drop him in. Using fancy electro-magnetic propulsion and an automatic on and off sensor, the aquatic robo-fish propels around the bowl, swimming, diving and changing directions. After five minutes, the Aquabot will go into sleep mode to save battery life but you need only tap the outside of the bowl to awaken him from his nap.

In September, my son will be moving on to first grade and joining the ranks of all the other big goys and girls in the primary division. It's a milestone year for him as he will be adjusting from half-day kindergarten to full-day grade school. I know back-to-school season will be an exciting time for him but it will also bring about questions regarding new expectations, new teachers and particularly a new schedule. The school will be implementing new bell times this year, something we will all need to become accustomed with. To help ease his anxiety about what time school starts, ends, etc., my son will now have his very own watch to wear to school. And not just any ol' watch - a Kidizoom Smart Watch by Vtech.

The durable design of the Smartwatch has withstood my son's vigorous daily activity. It is also splash and sweat proof, making it ideal for use during hot summer days. Just be sure not to submerse it fully in water or allow your child to wear it in the shower since it is not waterproof. 

Available at many major retail stores for $59.99, the Kidizoom Smartwatch comes in three colours: blue, green or pink. Keep your eyes peeled for the white Smartwatch which is exclusive to Walmart.