disney

So we started a new YouTube channel: Fun Playtime Reviews

February 7, 2015 by Sandra 4 Comments

That’s right. We started a brand new YouTube channel!

And guess what? It’s very different than my current channel, but that’s okay. It’s not supposed to be related. Instead, my husband, kids, and I decided to create a channel that we can all truly enjoy creating videos for.

Our new YouTube channel is called Fun Playtime Reviews. It’s still a “baby,” but we’re looking forward to nurturing it and watching it grow.

Why start a new YouTube channel?

For two reasons: first, because creating video is so much easier than writing a highly-thought-out-picture-rich blog post. Seriously. A food recipe, DIY recipe, or some other type of sponsored content takes a minimum of 6 hours to complete from start to finish.

A video takes FAR less time.

And I’m not necessarily the one that has to create it, which brings me to the second reason I created this new YouTube channel. It’s a family affair. All seven of us are involved in some way or another, and so far, we love it. 🙂

Here’s a list of the different types of videos we’ll be sharing on a regular basis:

1. Play-Doh videos
2. Fun toy videos (Disney, Shopkins, TMNT, etc… By the way, most of these toys are either purchased by my kids using their own money or are toys we find on clearance at Walmart & Target.)
3. Show-and-Tell videos of toys and other items/collections we already own (Upcoming videos will include things like my daughter’s Minnie Mouse collection – she’s a HUGE fan 🙂 – and my boys’ Angry Birds collections.)
4. Super Mario Bros. episodes
5. Egg surprise videos

Here are this week’s videos:

Disney Minnie Bowtique Cash Register Playtime Review

SHOPKINS Season 2 Review (12-Pack) with Special Edition Fluffy Baby Shopkins!

Super Mario Plush Adventures Episode 1 (Fun Playtime Reviews)

Play-Doh Disney Sofia the First Tea Party Set Playtime Review

Play-Doh Animal Shape-a-Pet Playtime Review

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Turtle Heroes Play Tower (Fun Playtime Review)

So that’s it. 🙂

Each week, for The Sensible Mom, I’m planning on writing a weekly wrap-up post to show you the videos we uploaded that particular week. Please feel free to subscribe to our channel to stay even more up-to-date.

I’m not sure how this new journey is going to play out, but I plan on writing about my experience here as we go along. And I’ll try to offer YouTube tips and tricks I learn along the way.

Do you have a YouTube channel? What types of videos does your family enjoy watching on YouTube?

Our Fun Disney Kids Preschool Playdate

December 9, 2014 by Sandra 6 Comments

Thanks to Walt Disney World Resort and MomSelect for the fantastic party kit I received to create a truly memorable Disney Kids Preschool Playdate. #DisneyKids #DisneySide

There are two things that I love — getting together with family and talking about Disney World!

So we were incredibly excited to host a little preschool playdate and invite my sister over with her two preschool-aged children. 🙂

Even though Sarah (my sister) and I live close by, we both work from home, have kids that keep us busy, and simply don’t have time to get together as often as we’d like to.

Disney Kids Preschool Playdate

For the playdate, Disney sent us a kit that turned a simple playdate into an amazing day to remember. It was filled with Jake and the Never Land Pirates themed items that made our time together fun and extra-special.

Toys, Snacks, Lunch, and Games

The playdate started with the kids making sure they each had a few small pirate toys to play with. For easy locating, we made sure to put each child’s toys on their plate at the table.

This was followed by delicious, kid-friendly snacks. My kids were elated to have fruit snacks, because they’re a rare treat in our home. They loved the chocolate chip protein bars, too.

The Crunchmaster crackers were gone in sixty seconds. Well, not literally, but they didn’t last long! Seriously, good! 🙂

The kids enjoyed a super simple lunch of popcorn chicken and fries, and at some point, I remember giving them all their very own Disney luggage tags. 😉

The luggage tags were a hit and went along well with the Disney World video we had going during the playdate.

We did a variety of things for fun and games. But I think the favorite activities had to be playing Disney bingo, building a Mega Bloks truck, and creating with Kinetic Sand!

By the way, out of all the different “sands” we’ve tried over the years, Kinetic Sand is my favorite. It’s EASY to clean up and doesn’t make a huge mess like the other ones we’ve used in the past.

While the kids played, it was great to be able to catch up with my sister and talk about my family’s Disney trips.

Sarah has never been to Disney World (my first visit there was when I was 29-years-old), but she wants to take her little ones sometime soon. I shared some of my best tips with her and talked about what an awesome vacation spot Disney is for families.

The preschool playdate turned out ~~to be like five hours long~~ better than I’d expected.

Judging from all the smiles, I think everyone involved had a fabulous time. 🙂

Who would you invite to a Disney Preschool Playdate? What’s your favorite Disney memory?

Thanks again to Disney and MomSelect for the fantastic party kit I received for our #DisneyKids playdate.

Disney PLANES: Printables, Activities, Family Time, and More!

July 10, 2014 by Sandra 4 Comments

I’m working with Disney to share fun ways families can get excited about the new PLANES Fire & Rescue movie
that will be in theaters starting July 18, 2014. #FireAndRescue

We love Disney movies.

Who doesn’t?

I know that we’re obviously not alone, because when we placed a library hold on the movie Frozen, (if I remember correctly) there were well over 100 people ahead of us. Crazy.

Ruben had taken four of our kids to see that particularly awesome movie while it was in theaters and which happened to be when David and I couldn’t leave the hospital during his transplant last December.

They liked the movie so much that they wanted us ALL to be able to sit down and watch it together as a family. We finally did and, of course, I loved it.

Disney has Another Movie Coming Out in Theaters

In the not-too-distant-future, on July 18th, 2014, Disney is releasing yet another film that is sure to delight your kids! The upcoming new movie is PLANES Fire & Rescue, and because of the new release, we decided to get excited about PLANES ahead of time with a Planes-themed family time event that took place right in our living room. 🙂

To make this time extra-special, I put on my thinking cap, searched Pinterest, and finally settled on these four airplane-themed snacks:

1. “Baggage” filled with freshly popped popcorn
2. Cotton candy “clouds”
3. Classic “airplane” peanuts
4. PLANES fruit snacks – a rare treat for my kids

Let’s just say that the snacks were a big hit. We ate them while we watched the first PLANES movie that’s currently out on DVD.

Just a side note: My oldest son, who is 14-years-old, wasn’t incredibly excited that we’d be watching a movie he thought was for little kids. However, in the end, he sat through the entire movie and liked it!

We had a great time together taking in the movie and eating the airplane-themed snacks. I need to remember to plan these little extra-special things more often.

More Ways to Get Excited about the New Movie

Below you can take a peek at the Planes Fire & Rescue Trailer

Thunder – Planes: Fire & Rescue Trailer on Disney Video

And if you visit the Disney Planes website, you’ll find a ton of good stuff there. You can also find printables, games, and crafts on a separate Disney Planes Fire & Rescue website.

The activities on both of the sites mentioned above are totally free to download.

Here’s a peek at what’s there:

If you click on any of the three Planes images above, you’ll be able to download and print those particular activities and coloring pages.

Also, you can stay up-to-date on the Disney Planes movies and more by visiting the Facebook page or by following Disney Pictures on Twitter.

Are you planning on seeing the new Planes movie? What’s your favorite Disney film (or character)?

Disney’s PLANES: Printable Activities for Kids, Airplane Videos and Games

September 21, 2013 by Rachel Leave a Comment

This week I am bringing you really great links for Disney’s new movie PLANES! There are more printable activities for kids in addition to some fantastic Disney videos and online games.

Printables
This week help your child find Dusty’s matching pair in Match the Planes.

Then pull out the craft tees and the spray paint to create a Jolly Wrenches Squadron T-Shirt.

Click on the graphic below for both activities!

Videos

While your new PLANES apparel is drying, head on over to Disney’s FlewTube Videos. These videos are so great! There are a number of videos that include PLANES inspired recipes, clips from the new PLANES movie, and interviews with model airplane enthusiasts. You could literally spend hours on this site.

Leave it to Disney to create an appetizing smoothie with the word “mulch” in its title. The Vitamin A Mulch Smoothie looks crazy delicious! As do Dusty’s Rice Crispy Treats.

There are also a wide variety of paper plane video tutorials. I wish I had access to these tutorials when I was kid. All the other kids knew how to make super cool paper planes, as they show in the videos, AND they always beat my generic paper plane.

I have to say, though, that I have perfected my generic paper plane over the years and have since won several competitions as an adult. However, below is a link to one of the “fancy” paper planes that I am going to practice and save for my next competition!

In addition to the recipes and paper plane tutorials, you will find numerous clips of various plane facts. One of the video clips I found most entertaining showed the World’s Longest Paper Plane Flyer attempting to beat his own Guinness World Record for Longest Flying Paper Plane of 27.91 seconds!

You have to go check out the rest of the Disney’s FlewTube Videos. You and your kids will have so much fun discovering all kinds of fun facts and recipes!

Online Games
In these online games, you and your kids can help Dusty train and qualify for the “Wings Around the Globe” rally in Propwash Pursuit.

Then head on over to Jet Stream Racers to race in the rally and be crowned “champion of the skies!”

I hope you enjoy all of these fantastically free activities and videos from Disney!

Let me hear about your favorite FlewTube video!