Go Green With The Gigglin Garden Gang #GoGreenNGiggle #Cbias

By no means do I have a green thumb, you might even say I have a brown thumb. Plants under my care seem to wither instead of flourish.  But since one of the best ways to teach kids about being green is by showing them, and plants are the building blocks to this lesson plan, I currently have four different plants in my house. I believe teaching my daughters about caring for the world around them is an important task, so I’ll even try my hand at a little gardening (over and over again).

When I was young, my mother and I planted a garden every year (well, mom planted I played). It was a real flower garden with rows and rows of carefully tended to plants. Day after day mom tended to our flowers, and I enjoyed picking the flowers and putting them in vases next to my bed. It’s too bad I didn’t get the gardening skill from mom (she still has the prettiest roses around), but I did learn a lot from those gardening lessons (even if it wasn’t how to keep plants alive). I was free to explore my curiosity about nature and learning about moms plants gave me a natural respect for mother nature.

These days K’s natural curiosity for nature is rampant. Discovering what bits of nature she has brought home with her from the playground is an almost daily occurrence. So I was excited when the Go Green and Giggle Garden activity kit arrived. The kit contains a book filled with garden humor, a music CD and a mini gardening kit.

Created by Dana Mauro to help teach children about mother nature, the Gigglin Garden Gang is a cast of colorful joke-telling plants that invite kids to plant a mini garden of their own. When teaching little ones anything, the key is fun and by incorporating a colorful and bright book with a bit of music, this kit has everything a parent needs to make learning about gardening fun.

After reading the book (in the middle of the kitchen (right where we opened the box because she couldn’t wait another moment), K was ready to plant her seeds.  This was the part she had been waiting for, she was so excited. After “planting out seeds,” we placed our little garden on the window sill in her bathroom alongside our other current project, a little Santa head put that we recently planted grass seeds in. Then we were off to dance to her new music.

We can’t wait for our little seedlings to sprout. I can’t promise we’ll be able to successfully transplant our seedlings to the garden to grow sunflowers, but we will give it a whirl and have fun learning and trying. (Wish our little seeds luck!)

See more pictures from our activity in my Google + slideshow.

Connect with the stars of the book, Sunflower Suzi and friends,  on Facebook and follow GoGreenNGiggle on Twitter for more tips about teaching your kids about being green.

Disclosure – This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Barnes & Noble 40% Off Educational Toys and Games Coupon – LeapPad, InnoTab, LEGO and More

Here’s another great coupon to help with your holiday shopping, and save you some bucks on some of the seasons hottest toys. Head over to Barnes & Noble and you can print a coupon to save 40% off one item from the Educational Toys & Games, Adult Games & Puzzles or Gift Section valid through November 24th.

This coupon can save you some serious bucks on some of the HOT toys including the LeapFrog LeapPad and Vtech InnoTab. Finding the LeapPad in particular available in-store can be tough right now, but if the item is in-stock online, you can ask a sales associate to place an in-store order for home delivery which will allow you to pay in-store and use the coupon, and the item will be shipped directly to you. B&N also carries a large LEGO selection which you can use the coupon on too.

Print your coupon here.

Green Works For A Green Clean Home Review

I have always considered myself environmentally friendly. Long before it was in-vogue to be green, I monitored my family’s recycling and tried to do whatever a middle-schooler could do to “save the planet.” But my green tendencies really took off when I became pregnant with my daughter. The idea of exposing this tiny, uncontaminated little girl to chemicals made my stomach turn. Suddenly, my favorite cleaning products were no longer good enough to clean the space I shared with my perfect little baby.

Of course, her innocence only lasted so long, and by the time she got to preschool I sort of figured she is being exposed to all kinds of chemicals at school, and well… I got lazy. So I resorted back to buying old standbys and whatever was on sale, still grabbing the “green” stuff when it went on sale, but being less than perfect green with my cleaning.

With baby #2 set to enter the world any day now, I am back to my vigilant green self. Once again there will be a pristine new baby in this house, and I refuse to expose her to tiny little body to excess chemicals. Enter my new line of cleaning defense (again) – Green Works.

So what makes “green” cleaning product “green.” Well, they are actually made with plant-based ingredients (not straight-up man-made chemicals) that are also biodegradable. So, not only are they better for my baby, but since they biodegrade, they do not pollute our water system with more chemicals. If you aren’t familiar with the Green Works line of products, you will be happy to know that one, the products actually smell… good (not chemically) and two, they still get the job done.

My favorite Green Works product – cleaning wipes. I love cleaning wipes, easy and quick to use they cut through grime in one step (yep, lazy mom loves that I don’t have to spray and wipe, just wipe!). Oh and unlike other cleaning wipes, Green Works wipes are biodegradable, so I could totally throw them in my compost pile that I have been meaning to start for the last three years… Or at least they will break down quicker in the landfill.

For times when I have to do the two-step process (spray and wipe) the all-purpose cleaner is pretty great too. I use it on everything, glass counters, etc. Lacking that traditional harsh smell of other all-purpose cleaners, it still gets the job done.

The one product I don’t really use, or see the need for is the bathroom cleaner. It seems to work well enough, but I am partial to the all-purpose cleaner. Why I need a separate cleaner for my bathroom?

Green Works laundry detergent is HE safe (very important to me, considering my new Whirlpool washer), and (according to the website) “dermatologist-tested for sensitive skin.” Of course the second part is very important with a little one on the way, but it is also important to me because I have super sensitive skin. (This is the one area of cleaning that I am very brand loyal and careful about what I buy – all the time.) Generally speaking, I don’t like scented detergents (allergies), but I didn’t mind the light scent much. However, I have since learned that there is also a “Free & Clear” version that doesn’t contain a scent, and I would definitely try that version next time.

Oh, and given my recent discovery with OxiClean I was also very excited to learn there is a Green Works Oxi!

Look out house, you are in for a green cleaning.

Disclosure – I was provided with Green Works products to facilitate this review, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Reusable Holiday Bags for Gift Wrapping

Eliminate waste this holiday season and skip the wrapping paper. Instead, give the gift of reuse with a limited edition Holiday ChicoBag™ brand reusable bags. These reusable holiday bags are ideal for wrapping gifts. The limited edition reusable holiday bags are available in three festive colors and feature a whimsical winter scene on the bag and a cheerful snowman on the pouch. Available while supplies last, get yours today!

Available at www.chicobag.com. Cost $12.99 each (available in red, green and blue). Get 20% off all ChicoBag brand products with coupon code CBM20 through December 31, 2010.

Review coming in November.

Composting Is Simple With The Nature Mill Review

Guest Post

The Nature Mill Review describes how the actual mixing process is totally carried out by the composter. Reviewing the instruction guide on the Nature Mill Review will make sure the proper blend of ingredients is added to the machine. Once materials are poured in, the top portion mixes the compost together to break down the elements. Also, naturemill composter reviews share how the tray heats up the compost to sterilize the waste. In addition, this gives the right amount of oxygen to aerate the compost and avoid any naturemill composter problems.

How It All Began

In 2009, the city of San Francisco required citizens to use their free compost bins. The Nature Mill Review shows that one resident, Russ Cohn knew there had to be a better way to compost, but continued to use his city provided bin for the time being. One day he went on vacation, forgetting to pour out the compost bin. When he came home from his trip, he found an unpleasant surprise.

A Mistake Became An Invention

The composting process had already started in Cohn’s bin. He then created the concept for a composter. Studying the NatureMill composter problems revealed that more oxygen, a powerful air filter, automated mixing and insulation were needed. This would lead to more NatureMill composter reviews to develop the most efficient process. After multiple patents and prototypes and the Nature Mill Review, the final product was born. Nature Mill Review shows a great product was developed from an unintentional oversight.

CMP.ly/3