Are you ready for Summer? I think I was ready in December, to be honest. But finally I can share some exciting new Summer Must-Haves since my favorite season is just around the corner. Hopefully, these items will get you ready for some fun in the sun!
Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I may earn a (very small) commission from qualifying purchases. You can read more about this on my Disclosure page. However, I also urge you to check in on your local businesses. If you can find any of these items in your local shops, please help to support them if you can!
Don't forget to Pin this post for later! I should add that all of these items make great gifts if you happen to be invited to a summer birthday party, too.
Madame Alexander Dolls: Kindness Club
Madame Alexander is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year, and there's a reason they've been around for so long! Their beautiful, high quality dolls have kept their appeal through the years and changed with the times. Just check out their Kindness Club line, featuring diverse dolls celebrating individuality. The girls of the Kindness Club "spread kindness through their community, teaching caring and respect for all people." Each doll is exquisitely detailed and comes in a beautiful carrying box with a handle. You can also purchase accessory sets for your Kindness Club doll, and the Sun is Fun set is so perfect for this post, right? Check out how pretty Kindness Club Harper looks when she's all dressed for summer. You can find Kindness Club Harper (and other styles) here and the Sun is Fun accessory set here. Recommended for ages 3 and up.
Spin Flip Puzzles
Spin Flip Puzzles are great to have on-hand for travel, playing by the pool, picnics, and so much more. They fold flat and are easy to carry. Each Spin Flip puzzle (there are several designs available) has two different pictures (one on each side) so kids can spin them, flip them and slide the rings around while simultaneously trying to solve the puzzles. They're also great topics of conversation- every time someone visits our house they pick up a Spin Flip Puzzle from our table and say "What's this?" Everyone seems to love trying them. You can find Spin Flip Puzzles on Amazon here. .jpg)
.jpg)
Hungry Hungry Hippos Splash
What fun would a Summer Must-Have list be without WATER TOYS?! Luckily, WowWee has come through with an awesome water toy line-up this season. Hungry Hungry Hippos Splash brings the fun of the classic Hungry Hungry Hippos game outside. All you have to do is connect your hose to the hippo sprinkler unit, then race to feed balls to your hippos. It spins and sprays water for added challenge. Recommended for ages 4 and up.
Nerf Super Soaker Blast Slider
The Nerf Soaker Blast Slider is like a Super Soaker and Water Slide rolled into one! Not only can kids slide and get soaked on the 16 ft waterslide, but their friends or family members can blast them from up to 15 feet away with the included Super Soaker Blaster. I like the padded splash pool at the end so you're not just sliding into muddy wet grass. Recommended for ages 5-12. You can find Super Soaker Blast Slider on Amazon here.
Bababoo and Friends Baby Toys and Board Books
I know three women who just had babies (and one more coming this summer)! So I've been on the lookout for quality baby toys. And if you think all baby toys are created equal, you're wrong. The beautiful wooden toys from Bababoo and Friends are truly awesome. They're high quality, durable, sustainable and beautifully packaged. I received the Whale Wilma Pull Along Toy as a sample and I loved that there was also a matching Wilma the Whale Loves Her Bath board book (two of the baby showers I went to asked guests to bring baby books instead of wishing well presents). The Whale Wilma Pull-Along Toy has movable details and elements. It also has a bell to encourage discovery, touch, and exploration. It aids in dexterity and motor skills (like pulling, pushing, and grasping), too. Recommended for 12 months and up. You can find Bababoo and Friends toys at Barnes and Noble or shop directly on the Bababoo and Friends website.
Shop Disney Summer Line
I love when Shop Disney releases all of their fun merch for Summer including apparel, sandals, accessories, housewares, outdoor items, and more! Here are just a few of my favorite finds from the Disney online site this year. First up are their high quality beach towels, which make amazing gifts and last an eternity. They start at just $15 and can even be personalized. I was also psyched to learn that Shop Disney has an entire 'Oh My Disney Dog' collection, with items just for your pets (cats, too)! It features dog collars, food bowls, pet apparel, pet toys, and more. You can see the entire collection here.
 |
| photo via ShopDisney |
 |
| photo via ShopDisney |
 |
| photo via ShopDisney |
 |
| photo via ShopDisney |
 |
| photo via ShopDisney |
BigMouth Inc. and Squishmallows
I'm a huge fan of both Squishmallows and Big Mouth Inc so combining the two is pure genius, in my opinion. This summer, Big Mouth brings us Squishmallows beach blankets, pool noodles, floats, sprinklers, and more! You can find the full Squishmallows line right on the Big Mouth Inc. website here. Bonus! Use code THEJERSEYMOMMA at checkout for 10% off your order on the Big Mouth Inc. website!
Indiana Jones Games
Indy is headed back to the theaters for one last run this summer, so Funko Games has created some beautiful family board games to help us celebrate. Throw Me the Idol is perfect for ages 7 and up and is for 2-10 players (so make it a party!). Indiana Jones Cryptic: A Puzzles and Pathways Adventure is for the tweens and teens in your life (recommended for ages 10 and up) and has players working through the cryptic puzzles of Indy's journals. Also look for Sands of Adventure and the highly collectible Something Wild! Indiana Jones card game coming this June!
.jpg)
Adventure Academy and Homeschool +
I have been a proud affiliate for Age of Learning ever since they asked me to pilot their revolutionary online learning platform called Adventure Academy. Adventure Academy is recommended for ages 8 and up, and it's essentially for kids who have outgrown ABCmouse (their other popular platform that I also highly recommend). It's not just a learning platform, though, it's an entire immersive universe for kids, with their own little 'campus' complete with school buildings, teachers, video lessons, learning games, and so much more. It's perfect for summer because it helps the dreaded 'summer slide' and helps kids brush up on essential basic skills. I can't recommend it enough! You can check it out here. If you want to read my complete walkthrough review of Adventure Academy, you can find that post here.
**And FYI Age of Learning just launched a brand new platform for homeschooling called
Homeschool + which offers the home educator a way to create a customized learning environment. It contains fully adaptive math and reading programs plus 12 online courses covering art, science, social studies, and more. You'll find lesson plans, downloads, progress tracking, curriculum mapping, and pretty much everything you need for your homeschool endeavors. It's geared towards ages 4 to 8 (Pre-K to 2nd grade) and you can check it out here.
 |
| screen-shot from Adventure Academy |
 |
| screen-shot from Homeschool+ |
Craftastic Nature Kits
PlayMonster has a line of Craftastic Nature Kits that are so cute and combine crafts and the outdoors. The kits are not complicated and don't require a lot of painting or gluing. They also make great gifts! Check out the Craftastic Nature Scavenger Hunt Journal, Make a Bug Hotel, Enchanted Garden, and Wishing Wind Chime just to name a few. But you can see their full line here. Each kit varies in recommended age groups but they start at ages 4 and up, with adult assistance.
Polar Seltzer Summer Flavors
I think I'm Polar Seltzer's biggest fan and I will send family members out on assignment to find their latest flavors in the store! Their summer line this year includes Raspberry Limoncello, Passionfruit Blueberry, Pineapple Guava, Seaside Watermelon, and Dragonfruit Lemonade. So far my favorite from the line is Dragonfruit Lemonade. It's delish. No, these don't contain alcohol but no one says you can't add a little while you're sitting by the pool. 😆
 |
| photo via Polar Seltzer, Facebook |
You can find more of my fun Summer guides,
Happy Summer!!
No comments