A Giveaway!

Help We’ve Got Kids is an amazingly useful resource book for families in the GTA.  It is filled with coupons and useful listings…45 categories of kid-related information at your fingertips.  From birthday party venues to health resources, and serious savings in the coupon section, this book is a permanent fixture in the Mamapicks  minivan.  Five books are being given away to Mamapicks readers! Visit the website and let me know which is the last category listed on the left hand side.  Also, go to the coupon section and print yourself one of the many useful coupons.  The first 5 readers to respond, win a book!

What To Do This Weekend

Take part in the 105th Annual Santa Claus Parade on Sunday, Nov. 15th at 12:30pm.  Ours is the longest running parade in the world.  See the website for details about a free pre-parade breakfast and lots of entertainment for the kids at Yonge & Dundas Square.

Visit the Bata Shoe Museum for their  Saturday Shananigans and Paint-A-Clog Sundays.  Admission to the museum is FREE every Saturday and Sunday this month with the donation of a brand new pair of socks to the Museum’s “Warm The Sole Sock Drive”.

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (Roy Thomson Hall) presents Jack in the Beanstalk , a special Young People’s Concert based on Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes, and features actors, puppets, and a 60-foot-tall beanstalk!  Young People’s Concerts are created especially for children ages 5-12.  Sat. Nov. 14th, 1:30 pm & 3:30 pm.

For more fun weekend events, go to www.mamapicks.com.

30% off at the Gap, Old Navy & Banana Republic

YAY!  Another awesome promotion.  Time to get the Warmest Jacket from the Gap.  Nov. 12-15th.  Click here to print your coupon.

Maclaren Stroller Recall

Maclaren’s umbrella strollers have apparently resulted in the amputation of the fingertips of 12 children across the US.  Fingers were caught in the hinges when the strollers were opened or folded shut.  According to Kushies, the Maclaren distributor in Canada, the recall is a voluntary one in effect in the USA only.  However, they expect that the repair kits will be available to everyone.  If you would like a repair kit for your stroller, please call the Maclaren Recall Hotline: 1-877-688-2326.  Health Canada has confirmed that the stroller is safe for use when children are sitting in the stroller and it is in a locked open position.  It is the hinge mechanism that can pose danger as the stroller is being opened or folded.

Cardboard Furniture!

I really like this drawing table and bench by Green Lullaby, made entirely out of corrugated cardboard.  The bench holds up to 120 Kg (!) and even has a storage compartment.  I guess I wouldn’t mind it if my kids coloured all over this kind of furniture.  Don’t worry, the surface is easily cleaned with a wet-wipe.  Ever wonder how you survived without wet-wipes before you had kids?

Free Mailing Labels

Love these labels.  Anything aqua, anything postal.  Download the PDF file here to print out your sheet of labels.  These were designed by the talented Miss B @ Le Blahg.

Mamapicks Exclusive Discount: You Are My Sunshine Prints

I am madly in love with this print.  Partly because seeing yellow makes me feel happy on gray Fall days…and also because I want my girl to always know that she is my sunshine.  A beautiful addition to any girl’s room with the warmest message of love.  Created by the talented illustrator, Katie Lombardo.  Katie is offering this print to Mamapicks readers for a very special price of $15 + free shipping (prints are normally $20 + shipping).  Choose “reserved for Mamapicks readers” to order and if you are asked, mention the promo code Mamapicks in the notes to seller section.  You can order as many as you like!

What To Do This Weekend

McNally Robinson is the big bookstore at The Shops on Donmills.  This Saturday (3pm), take your kids to an author book reading & signing (ages 5-8).  The featured author is Nan Forler who wrote the book Bird Child.  Bullying and the ability to rise above it are at the heart of this beautiful picture book.  Other than the meaningful topic that all kids can relate to, meeting an author is an inspiring experience all on its own.

Visit the Children’s Trunk Show at the Distillery District on Friday (9:30-4:30) and Saturday (10am-3pm) for great shopping of unique products by mom-run businesses.  There will be childcare available for ages 1-5.  Other perks include complimentary massage and and a special nursing & baby-changing zone.  $7 admission.  I don’t think these shows should charge admission…but I might go anyway.

Enjoy Family Sundays at McMichael Canadian Art Collection (Kleinburg).  Kids will draw inspiration from the Bartram exhibit and learn about landscape through activities.

For more fun weekend events, go to www.mamapicks.com.

Raptors Family Fun Days Coupon

Sundays are family fun days and this sounds like an amazing deal!  You can purchase a family package for as low as $39 which includes: 4 tickets, a meet & greet with the Raptor mascot, 4 pizza slices or hot dogs, 4 drinks, 2 popcorn, 2 Raptors foam fingers, 1 Raptors Game Day program, post-game free-throws on the court AND a GTA Family Attractions Pass including discounts at Medeival Times, the CN Tower, the Ontario Science Centre and Playdium.  Use coupon code TDMEAL.

The Tot Clock

There is a street light across the street, shining its light directly into The Boy’s window.  No matter when he wakes up, he opens his blackout curtains and it looks like it’s morning.  I was looking for something other than me that would tell him at 4:30am that he should go back to sleep.  I came upon this tot clock which I think is brilliant.  The face of the clock has 4 colours which parents can set.  Yellow for wake time and dark blue for sleep time…and also red and green for time out or activity times.  On the expensive side at $49.95.  Nice to know such things exist!

10% off Mabel’s Labels

Nothing is more useful than Mabel’s Labels for labeling everything from shoes to sippy cups.  Their packages make great gifts and they dispatch orders within 48 hours.  I would like them to add something to their product line…pacifier labels!  Anyone with me on that one?  I don’t want The Girl’s pacifier traveling into any other kid’s germ pit.  The coupon code for 10% off  is strol30.  Unknown expiration date.  Just like cheese sticks.

Looking For an Indoor Playground?

We all are.  Now that the weather sucks.  This is a great website with a comprehensive directory of indoor playgrounds in the GTA.  You can help the directory grow by providing names of places that aren’t yet on the list and you can also add a rating.  User friendly with an on-hand map…this is a one-stop shop for deciding where to go for indoor fun!