Is your child entering kindergarten or pre-school in the fall? Teach letter recognition over the summer using two fun, educational resources: How to Build an A and the LeapFrog - Letter Factory.

I received a review sample of the Thomas and Friends Great Race Game several months ago. I finally had a chance to test it on a rainy afternoon when a friend and her children visited. Her 3 year-old and her 5 year-old played happily for several hours.

Make family game night even more exciting with Trivial Pursuit for the Nintendo Wii. Play a video version of the classic game or try a new twist by playing in “Facts and Friends” mode.

We checked out a preview of the Extreme Mammals Exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History and were astounded by the diversity of mammals on our earth.

I had the opportunity to chat with paleontologist William Harcourt-Smith about what makes an animal a mammal (we have surprisingly little in common), what makes a mammal an extreme mammal, how parents can help kids get excited about learning at home, why animals diversify, and his favorite parts of the exhibit. You can watch question by question or see the whole interview…

I’m not ashamed to admit that I love the Smurfs. Watching old Smurf cartoons on DVD brings back happy childhood memories and never fails to put me in a good mood. I’ll confess that I’ve sung the Smurf Theme Song to my infant son on more than one occasion, and I’m looking forward to sharing the Smurfs with him when he’s older.

Tests have shown that there are more germs on household floor surfaces than on toilet seats, kitchen counters and bathroom tiles combined. While exposure to some germs may help build children’s immune systems, allergens like mold, dust mites are a leading trigger of allergy and asthma systems in both children and adults.
Regular vacuums alone– even those with HEPA filters– can’t kill the dust mites. Since carpet can contain as many as 100,000 dust mites per square yard, allergists often suggest ripping out carpets. But who wants to live and play …

We have another great giveaway for our Mamanista readers who are in or traveling to the New York area. You can win a Family Four Pack of Tickets to see Dora the Explorer Live! at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Dora is easy to love: she’s sweet, smart, and fun.  Plus she teaches positive values, problem solving, and appreciation for different cultures.
Come on! Vámonos! Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer returns to the stage in DORA THE EXPLORER LIVE! Everyone’s favorite Latina heroine stars in her own live adventure …

I’ll be at Toy Fair this afternoon, vlogging with Flip’s MinoHD and tweeting with Peek mobile e-mail device (more about the awesomeness of these tech gadgets later).
Come along for the ride and there will be PRIZES!
Here’s what you need to do to be eligible:

Follow: @mamanista on Twitter.
Share: Click here to send this message on Twitter by February 15, 4pm EST (@mamanista is tweeting #ToyFair Sunday Feb 15  - follow for FUN and PRIZES http://tinyurl.com/mamatoy #contest).
Watch: for @mamanista tweets on #toyfair, Sunday, February 15 from 12:30pm to 4:00pm for chances to …

February 12th is Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday. Mark the occasion by reading Animals Charles Darwin Saw, a picture book that is part of the Explorers Adventure Series by Chronicle Books.
The book is intended for children ages 7 to 12, but younger children might need help with some of the advanced vocabulary. Teachers and librarians will want to add this book to their collection since it clearly explains the history of Darwin’s voyage to the Galapagos, the animals he saw on the trip, and how he developed the Theory of Evolution.
Students will …