Posts filed under ‘Pretend Play’
Save 20% on Food Play: Get Your Kids Excited About Food & Nutrition
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TEXT VERSION: $19.99 ($15.99 when you use *promo code NFOOD20 at checkout) Planning a well-balanced meal is child’s play with this wooden set. Items from the five food groups–including watermelon, milk, cheese, fish, eggs, and much more–are crafted of solid wood and come with four wooden baskets for sorting and storage. Extension Activities: More Ways to Play and Learn:
$19.99 ($15.99 when you use *promo code NFOOD20 at checkout) Wooden set features a wooden knife and seven pieces of sliceable fruit that can be cut into a total of seventeen pieces. Food makes a fun “CRUNCH” sound when sliced. With so many pieces, it’s also a great way to introduce the concepts of part, whole and fractions! Extension Activities: More Ways to Play and Learn:
$19.99 ($15.99 when you use *promo code NFOOD20 at checkout) Your chef can use the wooden knife to cut up lots of meat, red pepper and bok choi and then add it to the shrimp, mushrooms, and snow peas, stir-frying in the non-stick wooden wok. Loop and hook chopsticks are handy for stirring and serving! Extension Activities: More Ways to Play and Learn:
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| Choose Your Offer:Save 20% on all food play with *promo code NFOOD20OR Save 15% on your entire purchase with *promo code NSAVE15OR Get Free Shipping Over $50 with *promo code FREESHIPFIFTY3 *Only one promo code accepted per order. Click for shipping details and offer limitations. Expires midnight EST 1/31/12. Valid only at www.MelissaAndDoug.com
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Why Costumes Are Good for Kids by Melissa
Why Costumes Are Good for Kids
Our expert encourages the thrill of dress-up
by Melissa
The anticipation of Halloween generates excitement in children unrivaled by virtually any other holiday. The ability to truly take part in the holiday and choose exactly how they will be dressed gives children a tremendous sense of power and investment in the day. But the ultimate thrill comes in actually putting on their costume and displaying it to the world!
There is nothing more enthralling for a child than pretending to be someone or something he is not, and concealing the truth of who he really is from the outside world.
Let’s be honest, that’s a lot of fun for adults, too! What a wonderful opportunity to escape and explore the world from the perspective of someone else for a brief period of time. That makes Halloween a favorite of both young and old. Yet although Halloween is the only day of the year when children and adults everywhere are given official license to dress up, it shouldn’t be! At Melissa & Doug, we believe that role-play is a crucial, year-round activity and shouldn’t be put removed and placed into a closet on November 1!
Role-play is a critical form of pretend play, and a crucial aspect of early childhood development. It is also one of the best ways to help a child to develop an understanding of the world. When children are given the opportunity to choose a character they wish to portray, they are given the ability to explore the areas they are most interested in.
Dressing up helps children (and adults) get rid of their fears and inhibitions, and be free to “act out” something they may not be comfortable expressing on a daily basis. Children develop social awareness and self-confidence and are more open to exploring themselves and expressing pent-up thoughts or ideas. Role-play offers an excuse to let go of one’s inhibitions and be free. Such free, unstructured creative play offers tremendous benefits developmentally. It builds strong imaginations and fertile, innovative minds!
Melissa
The best costumes are those which truly transport children to another place where they can begin to believe or act as the character they’re portraying actually would. In everyday life there are rules of conduct, and people may be viewed as odd if they go around town acting like wild animals, witches, or superheroes. But under the umbrella of make-believe, such behavior is not only desired but embraced! Testing the personas of different characters is a great way to teach children about different roles and their various behaviors. A pirate can talk with an accent; a police officer can speak with authority; and a chef can devise tantalizing recipes for an enthusiastic audience. Role-playing involves improvisation, having an awareness of how different characters act and portraying their characteristics and emotions!
The best aspect of pretend play is that it is completely universal. All children love to dress up. I have never met a child who hasn’t enjoyed being someone else, if only for a brief period. Usually the struggle is in getting the child to remove the costume and assume his prior persona.
You can easily incorporate dress-up and pretend play into your time with the kids. You can work with them to create a special dress-up or pretend play closet or chest in your home that they can explore whenever they visit. Accessories such as jewelry, makeup, wigs, and hats add to the fun. Role-play is a sure-fire, guaranteed recipe for a wonderful day. The grandchildren will anticipate every visit, and never want to leave!
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Happy Chocolate Cupcake Day!
Bake & Decorate Cupcake Set : Wooden Play Food : Toy Cupcakes Set by Melissa & Doug
Giveaway: 10/18/11 only!
TO ENTER: Like Us on Facebook, find the Bake & Decorate Cupcakes giveaway post, and follow the instructions to enter! Ends midnight 10/18/11. (MSRP $19.99)
Be sure your little baker uses the oven mitt to remove these four delectable-looking wooden cupcakes from their cupcake baking tray! This special set has three dry-erase markers shaped like icing tubes to decorate the smooth, removable, wipe-off cupcake tops. With colorful baking cupcake sleeves and decorative wooden candles, these low-cal cupcakes will be the hit of birthday and tea parties!
Extension Activities: More Ways to Play and Learn:
- Ask the child to make the cupcakes to order. For example, you might request one chocolate cupcake with pink icing and green polka dots.
- Ask the child to tell a story about the cupcakes he/she is baking. Are they for a special party, holiday, or event?
- Ask the child to study the candles then close his/her eyes. Remove and conceal one candle. Ask the child to describe the missing candle. Repeat by concealing two candles, then three.
- Place four decorated cupcakes in front of the child. Ask the child to study them then close his/her eyes. Remove and conceal one cupcake. Ask the child to describe the missing cupcake.
- Pretend to have a birthday party. Ask the child to decorate the cupcakes and place them into the cupcake tray. Ask the child to sing “Happy Birthday,” then “blow out” the candles.
Dimensions: 10.5″ x 13.25″ x 3.13″ Packaged
Recommended Ages: 3+ years
$19.99
Buy Bake & Decorate Cupcake Set : Wooden Play Food : Toy Cupcakes Set by Melissa & Doug
CLOSED! Pirate Prize Pack Giveaway
CLOSED! A Winner Will Be Chosen Soon!
WIN IT!
We are offering one lucky fan a Pirate Prize Pack Giveaway including our Treasure Chest Play Set, Pirate Adventure Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle, Pirate’s Bounty Floor Puzzle, Pirate Role Play Costume, and Pirate Puppet!
ENTER Thru 5/31/11 at Midnight ET
**How to Enter**
A. Just head on over to MelissaAndDoug.com and come back and tell us (with a comment) your Favorite Pirate Toy
- How to leave a comment
Click here > Add Your Comment according to our entry instructions (above) > then Click “Submit.”That’s all you have to do to enter! We’ll make it even easier…copy and paste the beginning of your comment from right here:
I WANT TO WIN THE PIRATE PRIZE PACK GIVEAWAY. MY FAVORITE PIRATE TOY IS __________(fill in the blank for a valid entry)
B. Extra Entries – ONE ENTRY Each
- “Like” Us on Facebook & Post on Our FACEBOOK WALL “I want to #WIN the Pirate Prize Pack #Giveaway from @MelissaAndDoug http://wp.me/pEbq5-gK” . You can do this ONE time.
- Tweet this contest. You can do this 1 time a day for 1 daily entry through 5.31.11
Sample Tweet: I want to #WIN the Pirate Prize Pack #Giveaway from @MelissaAndDoug
http://wp.me/pEbq5-gK - Join the Melissa & Doug Newsletter
Leave a comment that says Joined Newsletter
- Blog about this giveaway with a link to the giveaway. Send us the link to your blog in a comment.
Rules:
- Entries for this giveaway will only be accepted thru 5.31.11 at midnight ET.
- If you have won a giveaway for a Melissa & Doug product in the past 90 days you are NOT eligible to win this giveaway.
- Comments that are not properly submitted will be deleted and not included in the final drawing.
- If you do not enter the proper amount of comments (ie., You join the newsletter + like us on Facebook but only submit 1 entry) it will not be corrected. It is up to the entrant to submit the correct number of entries to be included in the final drawing.
- The winner is picked using random.org and will be chosen within 2-3 business days after the drawing deadline. However, the winner’s name will not be posted until we have contacted them. The random number generated will be matched to that same comment number to determine the winner. We will post the winner’s entry, date, and time of entry here on our blog. Additionally, the winner will be contacted directly through email.
*Each entry needs its own comment. Unfortunately, we can not accept combined entries as more than one entry. For example, sending in one entry that says you blogged and tweeted about this post will only count as 1 entry.
Comments will not post immediately. Comments will be moderated before they are posted. This can take a few minutes to 24 hours depending on the volume of comments.
ENTER thru midnight ET 5/31/11
Good Luck!
Pirate Toys Included In The Prize Pack:
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Treasure Chest Play Set
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Pirate Adventure Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle
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Pirate’s Bounty Floor Puzzle
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Pirate Role Play Costume
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Pirate Puppet
SHOP All Pirate Toys
Trunki Suitcase Review
Want To WIN This Prize Pack?
To ENTER this Giveaway CLICK HERE
Trunki Pull Along Kids Suitcase
Trunki Suitcase Packed!
Cutting Food Play Food Set
Food Groups Play Food Set
To ENTER this Giveaway with
MakingTheWorldCuter CLICK HERE
ends 2/2/2011
Shop Trunki here
Shop Play Food Toys
Food Groups Play Food Set
$19.99
Cutting Food Set
$19.99
Giveaway: Melissa & Doug Grocery Shopping Cart toy (ends 2/7/2011)
Enter the Melissa & Doug Grocery Cart Giveaway at NewAgeMama
More Information:
Melissa & Doug Grocery Shopping Cart Toy
To market, to market Take your shopping list and your teddy bear and get ready to shop! Our durable metal shopping cart looks just like those in real stores! Sturdy metal construction includes pivoting front wheels and a folding seat so your child and their favorite companion can navigate the aisles in style!
Dimensions: 23.25″ x 15″ x 11.75″ Some Assembly Required
$69.99
Just like the real thing!
Two of Our Play Food Toys Were on TV with A Frugal Friend!
Debra Muccio, also known as A Frugal Friend from her blog of the same name, was recently featured on CBS-11 promoting two of our play food toys: Make & Serve Apple Pie Set and Tiered Special Occasion Cake.
Watch the video here if you can’t see it above
More about the featured products:
Slice & Bake Apple Pie
Presenting Apple Pie as easy as 1-2-3-4! With four easy steps, your little chef will be proud to assemble and present this All-American dessert sensation! Place the bottom crust in the pie plate, fill with the apple slices, then put the top crust into place…”bake” and serve…easy as pie! The set comes with all the ingredients, an oven mitt, wooden knife, pie server and the pie plate.
$19.99
Shop here
Tiered Special Occasion Cake
Your little host will be proud to present these three layers of “delicious” yumminess. This fabulous cake can be topped with a bride and groom for a formal pretend wedding or with a flower bouquet to celebrate any special event. Serving and assembling this confection is easy with all the wooden layers, a selection of toppings, a server and decorative cake plate included in the “bakery” box.
$24.99
Shop here
GIVEAWAY: Multi-Activity Table and Train Set (closes 12/2/10)
#1915 is our random.org chosen winner!
1915. 
Heidi | on November 22, 2010 at 8:38 pm wrote:
I would love to have a trunki!
CONGRATULATIONS HEIDI!
———————————
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!
Once all entries are moderated we will choose a winner! Be assured that all entries will be moderated before we choose a winner.
One Lucky Winner Will Receive Our Multi-Activity Table and a Train Set of Their Choice!
Multi-Activity Table
Space-defining play area! This easy-to-assemble, sturdy wooden play table is ideal for trains, dollhouses, arts & crafts projects, blocks, puzzles and more! It features a double-sided play board and jumbo-sized drawer for convenient storage! Compatible with other playboards too! $129.99 Purchase Here
Wooden Train Sets
Attention, Engineers! Whether your train enthusiast is just starting out or wants to design and re-design the railway layout, we are on the right track with wooden sets from 20 to 130 pieces! Purchase Here
*Multi-Activity Table does not include accessories shown.
WIN IT!
We are offering one lucky reader our Multi-Activity Train Table and one of our Train Sets of their Choosing!
ENTER Thru December 2, 2010 at Midnight ET
**How to Enter**
A. Mandatory Entry
You must submit this entry. Just head on over to MelissaAndDoug.com and come back and tell us (with a comment) one other product your little one would love to have.
- How to leave a comment
Click here > Add Your Comment according to our entry instructions (above) > then Click “Submit.” - That’s all you have to do to enter! We’ll make it even easier…copy and paste the beginning of your comment from right here: ONE OTHER TOY I’D LOVE TO HAVE IS
B. Extra Entries
Not valid without the mandatory entry.
- Tweet this contest. You can do this 1 time a day for 1 daily entry through 12.02.10
- Join the Melissa & Doug Newsletter for 5 entries (leave 5 comments that say Joined Newsletter #1, Joined Newsletter #2 and so on until you submit 5 entries.)
- Already Receiving Our Newsletter? Receive 5 entries (leave 5 comments that say Receive Your Newsletter #1, Receive Your Newsletter #2 and so on until you submit 5 entries)
- “Like” Us on Facebook for 2 entries (leave 2 comments HERE ON OUR BLOG saying “We Like You on Facebook”)
- Blog about this giveaway with a link back here for 5 entries. Send us the link in 5 separate comments.
- Subscribe to our Blog for 5 entries. (leave 5 comments that say Now Following Blog #1, Now Following Blog #2 and so on until you submit 5 entries.)
- Already Subscribed to Our Blog? Receive 5 entries (leave 5 comments that say Following Your Blog #1, Following Your Blog #2 and so on until you submit 5 entries)
- Follow Melissa & Doug on Twitter: @MelissaAndDoug for 1 entry.
- Already Following Us on Twitter? Tell us for 1 entry.
- Bookmark this post on Delicious for 1 entry.
- Favor Melissa & Doug on Technorati for 1 entry.
- Digg this Post for 1 entry.
- Make a Purchase at www.MelissaAndDoug.com for 5 entries. Send us the order number in 5 separate comments.
- Are you an affiliate? Tell us for 5 entries. (become an affiliate here)
Rules:
- Entries for this giveaway will only be accepted thru 12.02.010 at midnight EDT.
- If you have won a giveaway for a Melissa & Doug product in the past 12 months you are NOT eligible to win this giveaway.
- Comments that are not properly submitted (ie., You don’t include an item you’d love to have in your entry) will be deleted and not included in the final drawing.
- If you do not enter the proper amount of comments (ie., You join the newsletter but only submit 1 entry) it will not be corrected. It is up to the entrant to submit the correct number of entries to be included in the final drawing.
- The winner is picked using random.org and will be chosen within 48 hours after the drawing deadline. The random number generated will be matched to that same comment number to determine the winner. We will post the winner’s entry, date, and time of entry here on our blog. Additionally, the winner will be contacted directly through email.
*Each entry needs it’s own comment. Unfortunately, we can not accept combined entries as more than one entry. For example, sending in one entry that says you blogged and tweeted about this post and that you’d love to have the cupcakes set will only count as 1 entry.
Make sure you receive all your entries by doing the following:
-Comment once for each entry point. That means you will comment 5 times for 5 entries when you blog about this post AND comment 1 time for the tweet AND comment 1 time for the item you’d love to have.
Comments will not post immediately. They are moderated before they are posted. This can take a few minutes to 24 hours depending on the volume of comments.
ENTER Thru December 2, 2010.
Good Luck!
SHOP all Melissa & Doug Trains and Accessories
Closed! GIVEAWAY: Deluxe Puppet Theater And 3 Puppets!
CONGRATULATIONS! The WINNER IS:
Katie
Submitted on 2010/11/02 at 3:32 pm
She wrote: “I love all the food sets, but I think the pizza is next on my list”
One Lucky Person is Going to Win
Our Deluxe Puppet Theater And 3 Puppets!
It’s always show time! This wooden puppet theater has been designed with a sturdy, non-tip base and plenty of room inside for a puppeteer or two! The stylized theatrical graphics and plush, velvety curtains will inspire creativity and expression in any child. Including a clock with movable hands and a chalkboard panel for playbill information, it’s a stage just awaiting imagination! $89.99 to Buy Our Deluxe Puppet Theater
Melissa & Doug Puppets
Full of personality, just waiting to be animated, these hand crafted character and animal hand puppets are ready to star in your puppet play. Buy Hand Puppets here
WIN IT!
We are offering one lucky reader our Deluxe Puppet Theater AND their choice of 3 HAND PUPPETS!
ENTER Thru November 18, 2010 at Midnight EDT
**How to Enter**
A. Mandatory Entry
You must submit this entry. Just head on over to MelissaAndDoug.com and come back and tell us (with a comment) one other product your little one would love to have.
- How to leave a comment
Click here > Add Your Comment according to our entry instructions (above) > then Click “Submit.” - That’s all you have to do to enter! We’ll make it even easier…copy and paste the beginning of your comment from right here: ONE OTHER TOY I’D LOVE TO HAVE IS
B. Extra Entries
Not valid without the mandatory entry.
- Tweet this contest. You can do this 1 time a day for 1 daily entry through 11.18.10
- Join the Melissa & Doug Newsletter for 5 entries (leave 5 comments that say Joined Newsletter #1, Joined Newsletter #2 and so on until you submit 5 entries.)
- Already Receiving Our Newsletter? Receive 5 entries (leave 5 comments that say Receive Your Newsletter #1, Receive Your Newsletter #2 and so on until you submit 5 entries)
- “Like” Us on Facebook for 2 entries (leave 2 comments saying We Like You on Facebook)
- Blog about this giveaway with a link back here for 5 entries. Send us the link in 5 separate comments.
- Subscribe to our Blog for 5 entries. (leave 5 comments that say Now Following Blog #1, Now Following Blog #2 and so on until you submit 5 entries.)
- Already Subscribed to Our Blog? Receive 5 entries (leave 5 comments that say Following Your Blog #1, Following Your Blog #2 and so on until you submit 5 entries)
- Follow Melissa & Doug on Twitter: @MelissaAndDoug for 1 entry.
- Already Following Us on Twitter? Tell us for 1 entry.
- Bookmark this post on Delicious for 1 entry.
- Favor Melissa & Doug on Technorati for 1 entry.
- Digg this Post for 1 entry.
- Make a Purchase at www.MelissaAndDoug.com for 5 entries. Send us the order number in 5 separate comments.
- Are you an affiliate? Tell us for 5 entries. (become an affiliate here)
Rules:
- Entries for this giveaway will only be accepted thru 11.18.2010 at midnight EDT.
- Comments that are not properly submitted (ie., You don’t include an item you’d love to have in your entry) will be deleted and not included in the final drawing.
- If you do not enter the proper amount of comments (ie., You join the newsletter but only submit 1 entry) it will not be corrected. It is up to the entrant to submit the correct number of entries to be included in the final drawing.
- The winner is picked using random.org and will be chosen within 48 hours after the drawing deadline. The random number generated will be matched to that same comment number to determine the winner. Winner’s entry, date, and time will be posted here on our blog. Additionally, the winner will be contacted directly through email.
*Each entry needs it’s own comment. Unfortunately, we can not accept combined entries as more than one entry. For example, sending in one entry that says you blogged and tweeted about this post and that you’d love to have the cupcakes set will only count as 1 entry.
Make sure you receive all your entries by doing the following:
-Comment once for each entry point. That means you will comment 5 times for 5 entries when you blog about this post AND comment 1 time for the tweet AND comment 1 time for the item you’d love to have.
Comments will not post immediately. They are moderated before they are posted. This can take a few minutes to 24 hours depending on the volume of comments.
ENTER Thru November 18, 2010.
Good Luck!
SHOP Deluxe Puppet Theater & Puppets Here
Car Carrier Wins Disney Family Fun Toy of the Year Award!
Melissa & Doug Car Carrier Wins Disney Family Fun Toy of the Year
Family Fun says, “The simplicity of the foot-long Wood Car Carrier was
a big plus for parents: no batteries, no noise, no excessive
packaging. Young testers flipped the loading ramp
up and down (over and over and over) to move the four
cars on and off the notched beds.”
This fantastic truck is ready to spark the economy by picking up and delivering four colorful cars. Its “easy-load and lower” ramps provide two levels for the new vehicles. Your little trucker will love “hitting the road” with this wooden six-wheeler! $19.99
