Idea Queen Tips & News

I’m usually the last to jump on the latest trend and I usually attempt to curb my children’s demand for the hottest toys. Although when my daughter started to beg for an E-pet, I thought I’d better take a closer look. I absolutely love it, and my Webkinz World review is as follows…..

Epets vs Webkinz

I did a little search for reviews on the epets, and found them less than great. The animals were expensive, the site wasn’t that fantastic, and some were claiming they were just a copy of Webkinz. Hmmm, what’s a Webkinz?

A few more reviews later, I found that the Webkinz animals are plush toys that contain a secrete code to go online to “Webkinz World”. Your pet comes to life on this site, and you do all kinds of fun things with them. I took a tour of their site, and thought this was something really fun (and even educational) for the kids. Plus to buy Webkinz animals was not THAT expensive either. Why not try them out?

Webkinz Animals

We ended up getting two different Webkinz animals - the pink and white cat, and the cheeky monkey. Both are absolutely ADORABLE! We went online to Webkinz World, named them (WildMonkey and PinkyPie), and got their rooms all set up. There is just SO much to do on the site, I really am impressed.

Webkinz World - The Site

Now one thing you should know about this site is you WILL need to help the kids out a bit. If they can’t read it’s just a tad bit hard to navigate. There’s quite a bit that requires reading, although there are some games they can play while you are away from the computer. Younger ones especially I recommend keeping a close eye on so they don’t get stuck.

I really love the educational aspect as well. While there a lot of non-educational games to play, there’s also quiz questions to do. That’s the fastest way to earn the “KinzCash” and I like really like that. It’s like an extra incentive to do something educational instead of just playing games, which does take longer to rack up the cash.

The money in the game is used to buy them food, toys, clothes, and all kinds of stuff for their room. Since you are given quite a bit to start with, you can buy some general items like a sink so you can wash them, a bed so they can sleep, and some food so they aren’t hungry. We’ve only had our first pet for a day and he’s not hungry yet, so I really don’t know how long it takes for them to even start needing food. But I do know they don’t have to be logged on every moment of the day to take care of them (a big plus!).

Another interesting option on the site for the older kids is the “Club House” where they can chat with other members. Although what makes this a VERY safe environment is the fact they have to use already written comments. Yes they can “talk” to each other, but only by selecting pre-approved lines. There really is no “open” chatting.

Yet another plus about this site is their “membership” lasts for an entire year and is included with the adoption of a pet. Each child gets their own account, and they can adopt as many pets as they’d like. For every new pet put on their account, the year “starts over”. For example, if in May we get another pet, our new expiration date would be May 2009. There is LOT to do on this site, so I’m surprised it’s free for a whole YEAR instead of a monthly fee like some sites.

For more details, be sure to also see their parent’s area on the site if you have any questions.

Where to Buy Webkinz Animals

Ours came from Amazon.com, and actually two different stores. To avoid paying separate shipping fees, I do recommend seeing what other animals that particular store has to offer. Since these were our first, I wanted the kids to be able to pick out exactly what they wanted. And yes, they are VERY happy with their choices. Although I can see already several of the others are going to be on our wish list!

There are a LOT of choices for buying Webkinz animals, so do take your time and look at all of them. Each have special items just for them like special furniture, food, and the like. But since they are so inexpensive (about the price you’d pay for a regular plush toy without all the online extras even), it’s very easy to have more than one.

Have fun with your Webkinz!

While there are a few free craft projects for Easter listed on Idea Queen, I thought it would be fun to post a few kits for sale at one of my favorite online craft stores. These are some REALLY cute projects and worth looking into. This site really does have a lot of neat stuff.

Flower Pot Bunny (pk/24)
How cute are these? Plus they come in a pack, so they are really great for group projects with multiple kids. You can even save the leftovers for next year, share with your local daycare, or use as a birthday party activity. Very inexpensive costing less than a dollar per bunny.

Bunny Purse (pk/12)
Another VERY adorable bunny who makes a very cute purse. Another great activity for multiple kids to do. Share this project with some friends!

Bunny Pen with Egg Stand (pk/6)
Alright so if you couldn’t tell, I really like the bunnies. They are just too darn cute! This one looks extremely fun to decorate, and is useful as well (holds a pen).

Maybe if we all think spring with these craft projects for Easter, we can chase away the cold weather. I know I’m more than ready for it to be spring!

Planning birthday party ideas for adults isn’t always easy as it is for kids. But sometimes simple is best and most enjoyed by the guest of honor. Here are a few ideas pulled from Idea Queen’s page of Adult Birthday Party Ideas:

Surprise Birthday Parties
This can be pulled off several different ways. You could do a traditional surprise party where they know nothing about it, or you could plan the party with them, but throw in something special like an out of state guest. The point, of course, is to surprise them in some form.

Restaurant Parties
The best part about holding the party at a restaurant is you don’t have to clean up afterwards. Be clear about what you expect from your guests though - you don’t want anyone thinking you’ll be paying and then hand them the check.

Night on the Town
If you have a smaller group, you can always just take a night out on the town. Go see a movie, go dancing, hang out at the bar - whatever the guest of honor wants to do. Remember to include them in your plans!

Several more ideas for specific age groups can also be found at Idea Queen at the link above. Enjoy!

A brand new page was just added to Idea Queen! We’ve been working hard on this page over the last few days to bring you some suggestions and ideas for personalized gifts for kids.

This new page features several different suggestions, and a few links to go along with it. Instead of just showing off a few different items, we’ve linked to several different sites who specialize in specific items. On this page you’ll find links for personalized books, jewelry, clothes, and more.

If you have your own suggestion, please feel free to send it in! We’re always looking for new ideas to feature.

Enjoy!

This recipe was sent in by one of our visitors. It sounds delicious and I just might try it out!

Hamburger Curry
by Noreen Tan

1 box Japanese Instant Curry
1 lb. hamburger
1/2 pkg. frozen Mixed Peas, Carrots, Corn

Cook hamburger until no longer pink.  Give 2 good shakes of Garlic Powder and 3 good shakes of black ground pepper.  Now add Instant Curry and follow directions.  Add frozen vegetables and simmer until directions say it is done.
More easy recipes for hamburger available on Idea Queen.

Since our house has been sick for the last few weeks, I had an idea today for a new kind of pillow to sew. You may have heard of “dream pillows” that contain special types of herbs and oils for good dreams and sleep. This is similar, with a slightly different twist.

The main problem with the dream pillows is they eventually lose their scent and effectiveness. So instead of sewing a regular pillow, I made one with a pocket on the front with a velcro tab.
Eucalyptus is a staple in our house. It’s wonderful for congestion and stuffy noses. So I took a cotton ball and dabbed eucalyptus oil on it. It goes right into the pocket of the pillow and will be put in the pillow tonight.

You can put anything you want into the pocket of this pillow - oils, herbs, or flowers. Lavender is another oil that is great for relaxing, so would go perfect in the pocket. At any time you need to change the scent or replace it, it’s not a problem.

These would make wonderful gifts for those who suffer from allergies, or get the occasional winter cold (aka everyone!).  If you need to stock up on essential oils or other herbs, be sure to see Shaman Shop.

Enjoy!