Unique #BacktoSchool Essentials (Part 3)

We all know Back to School season is in full force and while we know kids need the top trends in school supplies, there are more products which can help make a parent's life a bit easier too!  Today I have a few unique Back to School must have's for parents and their children as school resumes (or starts for the younger ones).

Optimum Freshness
Not only do I believe we need to teach our children about the three R's (reduce, reuse, recycle) but it is becoming a big way to save money.  Buying individual sports drinks, bottled juice, or even bottled water is wasteful and can even be less healthy for your family.  The plastic bottles these are packaged in, fill landfills, can contain harmful chemicals, and honestly are not fresh.

Cool Gear helps solve this issue by creating unique ways to store, transport, or even create your own fresh meals and drinks. The 20oz Aquaburst™ bottle is the perfect solution for your children's school day.  With Aquaburst™, you get to pick what your beverage is made from (fresh juice, fruit concentrate, or liquid enhancer).  Just fill the flavor pod at the top of the bottle and push when ready to drink.  It doesn't get any fresher than this.

Alana loves taking a variety of sports drinks to school to keep her hydrated and focused throughout the day.  I love that you can use your own filtered water and it's fresh instead of a premixed sports drink that has been sitting on a grocery store shelf for who knows how long!  The idea behind it is fresh and much more inexpensive than your average bottled drink at the grocery store.  Cool Gear not only makes a difference but can also save you money.  Check out their site to find creative, eco-friendly products for everyone and anyone to use.
Facebook:  Cool Gear
Twitter:  @CoolGearInc
Pinterest:  Cool Gear
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Optimum Fun (while still learning)
It is so important to get involved in your children's education and make learning such an exciting experience at any age.  Games which kids might enjoy where they can learn while they are playing and not even realize it are a great way to get involved in the fun.  ThinkFun is definitely a brand that helps you incorporate education while playing board games!  Code Master™ is a programming logic game in which children will use coding to try to get their avatar to the portal with the most amount of crystals.

This is a game designed to help teach children the simple parts of coding.  As an engineer myself, I believe this game helps children with a variety of skills and can lead to an easier experience in the coding world.  I love that each of their games is listed including the specific learning skills a child can gain from playing them.  You can also search based on those skills, types of games, or by age.  There is a large variety of games for each skill level and each child's specific interests!  Have fun educating your children at home!
Facebook:  ThinkFunGames
Twitter:  @ThinkFun
Pinterest:  ThinkFun

Optimum Activity
Technology has become a huge part of most children's lives today.  While I love the opportunities my children have that I might not have had growing up because of technology, it has hindered today's youth when it comes to keeping active.  Children need to know how important fitness is in living a long, satisfying life!  Play Unplugged Home realizes this and has created an easy at home incentive program for families.  Every parent really needs to learn how to get your kids to put down the video games.

Your children can earn rewards called Brag Badges for completing offline active play and other activities.  The idea of offline, outdoor fun is quickly disappearing and part of keeping our children happy, healthy, and always learning, is taking a break from the online world.  Each Brag Badge has a certain 'brag value' or point value to them based on the difficulty of the activity.  They are separated into four categories:  Active Life (red bottom packet), Outdoors (beige bottom packet), Creative Fun (blue bottom packet) and Around The House (green bottom packet).  Parents are able to set goals or "prizes" for their kids to work towards (ie. toys, games, trip/activities, etc).

In the very short time we've had our set, the boys have spent more time offline having real fun together as they work towards the goals I've set for the prizes they really want.  I love seeing them excited about getting offline instead of it being a chore or getting upset when Mom says turn it off (which in fact I don't have to do anymore).  I literally spent a few moments explaining the concept to the kids, setting the goals, and the rest is up to them.  If I want to be involved I can, if not they love doing the activities on their own without me having to give them ideas of what to do outside and around the house.  What's truly awesome is you can purchase the entire set, just purchase whichever of the four modules you want to do, OR you can just pick-and-choose which ones appeal to you and your kids.  Help your children avoid their screen addictions!
Facebook: Play Unplugged Home
Pinterest: Play Unplugged Home
Twitter: @WePlayUnplugged

Giveaway:  These Back to School Sponsors are going to give one of A Lucky Ladybug's lucky readers a Back to School Package* to have of their own!
*Play Unplugged Home Set for 2 children
ThinkFun Code Master
Teach My Winner’s Choice of Kit

Cool Gear Aquaburst
Kids Relief Oral Formula
Xlear Kids Sinus Nasal Spray

Entry-Form

*Read my Disclosure