PlanetBox Review & Giveaway!!

~This giveaway is CLOSED~

I'm positive most of you have heard of PlanetBox, but for those who haven't, get ready to learn about a truly awesome resource that's great for EVERYONE!

To quote PlanetBox's website, PlanetBox is:
"lunch transportation for a green generation".
I just love that!

I would have been tickled pink to have a lunch box like this when I was a kid. I had a blue plastic Smurf lunch box (which I still have, btw!). I remember when I'd open it at lunchtime I'd find the little plastic baggies of food were all jumbled together and smooshed after having been pummeled by my matching :) thermos. Oh and I remember the latch on that box, too - that flimsy thing would pop open and my sad little lunch would end up all over the sidewalk. Really, no joke - that happened to me! It's funny to think about now, but even at 7 years old that drove me crazy!

Well, I'm delighted to say that PlanetBox has come up with a fantastic solution to those old lunch box problems. They designed lunch trays with compartments! More than that, the compartments are specifically measured with portion control in mind. And the latch on the box is excellent in that not only does it stay closed when needed, it's easy for little hands to manipulate. No tricky closures here!

Want to know what is really cool about these boxes? They are made of stainless steel which means they are non-toxic, they won't stain, and they don't retain the odors from lunches past! Also, they are completely reusable! Totally eco-friendly AND they're dishwasher safe. Talk about economical and efficient!

Want to know what James would say is the coolest thing about these boxes? The magnets! The founders and creators of PlanetBox (a husband & wife team who are parents themselves) didn't overlook the fact that they were making lunch boxes for kids. They came up with the brilliant idea of making magnet sets to adhere to the outside of the box. They are removable and you can mix and match the many sets!

We've had our PlanetBox for about a year now and we just l-o-v-e it. We've used it quite often over the past 12 months and I'm pleased to say it's still as good as new!

Here's a photo of James and his Planetbox. (This day's meal included: carrot sticks, pitted cherries, blueberries, popcorn, star shaped peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat, and a few gluten free cookie buttons.) James and I have such fun coming up with new ideas for filling up those compartments and new ways to display his food. He enjoys his meals so much and I know he's getting everything he needs and in just the amount he needs.

(Feeling not so creative when it comes to food combos? There are TONS of meal ideas on PlanetBox's Facebook page and an excellent grocery list printable on their store website.)

And with this handy carrying bag, it's super easy for James to tote his lunch to camp. The handle is just his size and the whole system is sleek - not at all bulky. On the outside of the bag there's a place for his water bottle, and a pocket for a mid-morning snack. On the inside is an interior slot for a PlanetBox cold kit, and even a couple little straps that secure utensils or a sweet little love note. :)

We have the complete Rover set, so we also have these awesome little "dippers". We use these containers all.the.time. They are excellent for holding wet and dry foods. And they don't have to be used with your lunch box, either. In fact, both of our dippers are in my diaper bag right now holding cheerios and goldfish crackers! :)

Ok, so now you understand why I'm such a huge fan of PlanetBox. Would you like one of your own? You can hop on over to the PlanetBox shop and buy one now. True, they initial price may seem a tiny bit high, but consider the fact that these are reusable - meaning they'll last you a lot longer than a brown paper bag and plastic baggies! Care for them properly and you'll enjoy your lunch box for YEARS! It ends up being a savings for sure.

You can also enter to WIN a PlanetBox! Yep, that's right, the lovely folks at PlanetBox are very generously gifting a Rover set to one of my readers! And we're talking the COMPLETE set here! (A $60 value!)

One very lucky person will receive:
:: 1 Rover lunch box
:: 1 Magnet set (the design is the winner's choice)
:: 1 Dipper set
:: 1 Carry bag (the color is the winner's choice)

Are you excited?! I am!! I'm thrilled that one of you will get to enjoy the fun and goodness that is PlanetBox! :D

Here's what you need to do to enter to win:
Mandatory entry:
1. Leave a comment on this post.

Extra entries (i.e. more chances to win!!):
2. Like PlanetBox on Facebook and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
3. Follow PlanetBox on Pinterest and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
4. Like Counting Coconuts on Facebook and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
5. Follow Counting Coconuts on Pinterest and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
6. Subscribe to Counting Coconuts (in whatever way suits you) and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
7. After today come back and leave me one comment per day on this post until the end of the giveaway.

*Reminder re: separate comments - each entry will be counted as a chance to win. If you put all of your entry requirements into just ONE comment, you'll only have ONE chance to win.

This giveaway will end on Thursday, August 2nd at 9pm Atlantic Time, and is open only to those with a US address.

Good luck!

~All photos courtesy of Planetbox.com~

Guide to the Magic For Kids Giveaway!

~This giveaway is now CLOSED~

People are getting very excited in our house now that our trip to Disney World is just around the corner! To share some of the magic we're already feeling, I'm hosting a series of Disney giveaways this summer! Last month it was an adorable bow set from Ruby & Sue, and this month it's....

An interactive Disney World guide book for kids!

This book is ah-mazing. It's called The Guide to Magic For Kids and it's a MUST-HAVE for any child visiting Disney World! This book is filled with tons of cool stuff:

(click any photo for a larger view)

Each park has its own section - this is an example of the France pages in Epcot. Each country's page offers a space for kids to get a stamp, an autograph, and to learn that country's greeting! Every park page provides a place for kids to rate their experience, too - love it!!

Here are sample pages for the Fantasyland portion of Magic Kingdom - look at how fun this is!! There's a place for kids to "check off" which attractions they visited by applying matching stickers, and also a "Where Am I?" section - a sort of visual scavenger hunt!

There are even journal pages, and this is what totally won me over. I have always been a thought-keeper (hence this blog!) and I have many, many journals/diaries from my life. It warms my heart that this will be James' *first* journal! There are quite a few pages provided and each day gets its own two page spread complete with a weather tracker and boxes for your child to fill in their favorites from the day!

I l-o-v-e this book. Seriously. The amount of activity it provides, the way it's organized, and all the tips offered in a kid-friendly way - it's just so unique and special. James and I really enjoyed looking through it and we can't wait to fill it up with his Disney World memories. What a fantastic keepsake!

Tim Foster, the creative genius behind Guide to the Magic, has generously offered to gift one of these books to one of you! It'll be just the thing for your Disney World trip. And consider this: even if you're not planning a trip now, go ahead and enter - you can save it for when you do visit Disney World. And even if you're not planning a trip ever, go ahead and enter - surely you know someone who'll be visiting Disney World and this book would make an excellent gift!

Here's what you need to do to enter:
Mandatory entry:
1. Leave a comment on this post.

Extra entries:
2. Like Counting Coconuts on Facebook and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
3. Follow Counting Coconuts and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
4. After today come back and leave me one comment per day on this post until the end of the giveaway.

*NOTE re: separate comments - each entry will be counted as a chance to win. If you put all of your entry requirements into just ONE comment, you'll only have ONE chance to win.

This giveaway will end on Sunday, July 22nd at 9pm Atlantic Time, and is open to those with a US address.

Good luck!

~All photos courtesy of guidetothemagic.com~

Worldwide Culture Swap: Bermuda

One of the lovely ladies at The Worldwide Culture Swap contacted me to see if we'd like to be a part of a swap. Ummm, YES! I wasted no time in signing up for the standard worldwide swap as well as the mini giveaway swap. Hooray for snail mail field trips!

Even though we are Americans, we currently live in Bermuda, so we decided to represent the island. As usual, I went a little overboard. I just couldn't help myself! I kept thinking of more and more information and things to add. It didn't feel complete to me without it all. I think it's safe to say that this package will definitely give someone a clear idea of what Bermuda is all about. I hope I did my Bermudian friends proud! :)

James and I had a total blast putting this together. I made sure he was an active part of assembling everything and I consulted his opinion wherever needed. I put together all of the paper information and he chose the images for the documents as well as all of the souvenirs. When it was all said and done we addressed the packages and went to the post office together, too. This was a great opportunity to teach him about how the mail system works.

In making these packages James learned a lot about the country we live in, so I decided to make a Bermuda package for ourselves. It'll be a great way for Juliet to learn about Bermuda too and a nice keepsake to have after we move away.

I put a lot of thought into our packages and while I'm no expert, I learned a few tricks of the trade along the way. I've shared them below in the "tips" section after each photo description.

Ok, so here's what's inside:

A flag, stamps, and local currency - the coins are real, but the bills are fake copies.

TIP: check out Google images for money photos. Some are very clear and offer front and back images of the same bill. A fun idea, especially if your group includes small children, is to make games out of things. For example, you could make duplicate color copies of stamps, cut them out in uniform sizes and voila! a matching game has been created. A bingo game would be easy to create, too, and if you're really ambitious you could make some nomenclature cards for older kids.

Brochures featuring local attractions, stickers, a newspaper, an article from a free tourist guide about favorite local spots for children (this was written by a friend of mine!), and a playing card with the map of Bermuda on it.

TIP: a fun and inexpensive souvenir - I bought a deck of cards with an interesting image on them and included one in each package. Also, visit your local tourist information location - there you'll find lots of FREE brochures and guides, and maybe a freebie or two (that's where I found the crayons!). Be sure to get enough for each package. And don't shy away from guide books - you needn't ship the entire book, (which can quickly add to the weight/cost of the package). Instead, go through the book and tear out certain articles and pages that you think are particularly interesting.

A cedar ornament, a tiny frog, some beach sand and shells (which we collected from the beach ourselves), game ribbons, a little house craft James and I made together, and fact cards explaining all of those things in better detail. There's also a postcard and some tropical fabric (I cut up a little square for each package).

TIP: It's nice to find tactile things to go along with paper information. It's MUCH more interesting to children when they have something they can touch. Also, include internet links where relevant - for example, the tree frogs in Bermuda make a very specific sound, so I included a link to a sound clip of them on YouTube. Appeal to the senses!

A detailed map of the island, a fact sheet, a postcard, and activity pages all of which have to do with the locations around Bermuda. On the right is a set that includes a coaster and has to do with the colorful-ness of Bermuda, in particular our homes and buses.

TIP: include descriptions of things and group like items together instead of just tossing everything into a giant envelope. It may all make sense to you, since you're familiar with it, but to a foreigner it can be overwhelming. Also, here's another fun and money saving souvenir - get a set of four or more interesting and relevant coasters and put one coaster in each package.

More souvenirs: a magnetic bookmark, a pin, a puzzle of the map of Bermuda, a keychain, some pencils, a special box of crayons (these are "Bermuda Colors", a line Crayola made especially for Bermuda), and a bracelet.

TIP: let the shopkeeper know you're putting together a package to send to children around the world. Sometimes, as was the case with us, they'll give you a little discount since you're buying multiples of things. Also, personalize your package - include a letter handwritten by your child, and keep in mind the gender and age of the recipients. For example, in our package, not everyone received a bracelet or pirate stickers. A handmade craft is also a very special and personal gift to include, and most of the time it's very inexpensive for you to make!

More sets. These have to do with the flora & fauna of Bermuda, and the small creatures that we see regularly around the island. I also included a copy and description of my island scavenger hunt.

TIP: It's certainly not a must, but if possible, print your paper information in color - it's much more interesting to look at and people can get a better feel of what they're reading. For example, it wouldn't be as enjoyable to read about the flowers of Bermuda and how bright they are if you're looking at a black and white photo of them. You could include links to internet images if color printing isn't an option for you.

More info packs - these include: Bermuda Art, a poem, National Symbols, local customs and traditions, a few activity pages, information about our family, and a local recipe.

TIP: try to make your package as well rounded and interactive as possible in an effort to help others really become a part of the country you're representing. For example, include a CD (or internet link) of local music, attach your favorite local recipe that the family can make together, a special treat or food mix (if allowable to ship), print out activity pages or a craft for kids to enjoy working on, and a language sheet with local phrases and/or translations.

Well, that's it! What do you think? I hope the receiving families will enjoy our package. We're expecting return packages from Australia; California, USA; Papua New Guinea; Greece; Alberta, Canada; and Slovakia (the latter is a separate and personal swap arranged with one of my lovely readers). We are SO excited to learn more about each of these countries and I can't wait to add our new information to our continent bags. I hope to be able to blog about each package we receive.

These swaps are an excellent way of bringing the world a little closer together. :) I strongly urge all of you - parents of children of all ages, teachers, grandparents, everyone! - to sign up with the Worldwide Culture Swap group. And especially those of you living outside the US as I understand the group is in need of other countries in order to arrange swaps for the US folks (there's only 1 US family per swap and they have TONS of US families already signed up and waiting).

Check out the Worldwide Culture Swap website to learn more or like their Facebook page to see updates.

~Thank you for your comments!~

Ruby & Sue Giveaway

~This giveaway is now CLOSED~

I'm kicking off a summer of Disney giveaways in honor of our trip to Disney World in the fall! For my first giveaway, Ruby & Sue - my go-to shop for hair bows - is generously offering up four gorgeous Disney-inspired hair bows!!

I LOVE Ruby & Sue bows because they're each handmade with care using quality materials. They're so special and look adorable in any little girl's hair.

As you know, I've made a few bows myself, but unfortunately I just don't have the access to the materials I need to make the bows I've designed in my mind. Enter Ruby & Sue. There are tons of adorable hair clips in her shop on Etsy, but if you don't see what you want Ashlee, the lovely owner who is SO sweet and wonderful to work with, is more than willing to work with you to make custom orders. Together we designed a couple of the bows in this giveaway!

You might remember a while back I took a poll on the Counting Coconuts Facebook page asking which of the Disney characters were your girl's favorites. Lots of you gave your input and the characters that received the most votes were:

Rapunzel

Tinkerbell

Ariel

Belle

One of you luckies will win all four of these beautiful hair clips! All are attached to partially lined alligator clips with no-slip grippies (which means they'll stay in even the finest of hair!) and the longest bow - the Belle bow - measures 2.5" in length.

Here's what you need to do to enter:
Mandatory entry:
1. Leave a comment on this post.

Extra entries:
2. Like Counting Coconuts on Facebook and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
3. Like Ruby & Sue on Facebook and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
4. Follow Counting Coconuts and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
5. Follow the Ruby & Sue blog and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
6. After today come back and leave me one comment per day on this post until the end of the giveaway.

*NOTE re: separate comments - each entry will be counted as a chance to win. If you put all of your entry requirements into just ONE comment, you'll only have ONE chance to win.

This giveaway will end on Friday, June 29th at 9pm Atlantic Time, and is open to those residing in US/US territories only.

Good luck!

I did not receive anything in exchange for this review, these are just my honest opinions as a satisfied customer of Ruby & Sue.

DUAL Giveaway: Montessori At Home! & Montessori Print Shop

~This giveaway is now CLOSED~

If you've been following my blog for a while and if you've entered past giveaways of mine (such as this one and this one) then you'll know what a *huge* fan I am of Montessori At Home! and Montessori Print Shop.

Montessori At Home! is a favorite in our home. It's a fantastic book written by John Bowman in which he provides the reader with TONS of ideas, tips, and professional insight about how to bring Montessori into your home or school.

Montessori Print Shop has been, for over two years now (!), my go-to supplier for high quality Montessori printables. The lovely owner, Jennifer, has put a lot of time and care into making excellent, user-friendly materials for everyone to enjoy.

I am VERY excited about this giveaway because not only have my two fave Montessori resources joined together to offer one amazing giveaway, but also because I get to choose TWO winners!

Here's what's up for grabs:

:: The Montessori At Home! second edition eBook
:: The Montessori At Home! bundle of 21 printable materials from Montessori Print Shop
:: A free copy of the eBook: Mom Bloggers Talk Montessori

Pretty sweet, right? This set of materials is perfect for teachers, parents, grandparents - anyone interested in teaching children the Montessori way! It is truly a most generous giveaway. HUGE thanks to John Bowman and Montessori Print Shop for donating it to two of my readers!

AND, as an added bonus, John Bowman is offering a discounted rate of $7.95 on his book, Montessori At Home!, for the two weeks after the end of this giveaway - an exclusive offer to Counting Coconuts readers only. :) Starting June 2nd, click here to enjoy this perk!

If you'd like to enter to win, here's what you need to do:

Mandatory entry (i.e. the only thing you really HAVE TO do in order to eligible to win)
1. Leave a comment on this post.

Extra entries:
2. Like Counting Coconuts on Facebook and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
3. Like Montessori Print Shop on Facebook and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
4. Like Montessori At Home! on Facebook and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
5. Follow Counting Coconuts (in whatever way you prefer) and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
6. After today come back and leave me one comment per day on this post until the end of the giveaway.

*NOTE re: separate comments - each entry will be counted as a chance to win. If you put all of your entry requirements into just ONE comment, you'll only have ONE chance to win.

This giveaway will end on Friday, June 1st at 9pm Atlantic Time, and is open to anyone, anywhere!

Good luck!

Montessori Print Shop Review & Giveaway!

~This giveaway has closed~

James has long been a fan of maps - he enjoys searching for states and countries, and gets a kick out of all the different names. Most recently he's really gotten into flags. I thought about ordering some mini flags as I did a while back when I created our Continent Bags, but at nearly $2 a pop, they are just spendy for me to order an entire set for the world. Then, just a day later, I read this post on Chasing Cheerios and found out about Montessori Print Shop's pin flags. (cue the Hallelujah chorus) They were *just* the thing we needed!!

We've had a ball learning with our new maps and pin flags - seriously, James just can't get enough of them. In addition to his current interest in maps and flags, He LOVES sets and collections of things - these are right up his alley!

These maps are great because they're bright, easy to read, and just the right size for our cork boards. Not all of the flags have a matching map, but we don't mind - we use what maps we can and an atlas for the rest of the flags!

Two guesses on how James feels about these pin flags! :D

The flags were super easy (albeit a little time consuming) to put together, and I appreciate how clear and consistent the photos are - I'm kind of picky like that. :) I printed our flags onto card stock and did not laminate them - they are getting a lot of use and holding up just fine!

Think these would be of use in your classroom? Want to have a set of your own? Well...

Jennifer, the lovely owner of Montessori Print Shop, has once again donated a very generous gift to one of you:

Montessori Print Shop's ENTIRE pin flag and map set!!!
(valued at nearly $50!)

Included in the set:
~Maps~

:: Four maps (colored, labeled, and blank) and two sets of labels (color coded and non-color coded) for each of the following: North America, South American, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.
:: Four maps and a set of labels for both the United States and Canada.
:: Two maps (labeled and blank) each for US capital cities and states.
:: Two maps (labeled and blank) each for Canada's capital cities and provinces.

~Flags~

:: A set of pin map flags for all of the above maps! The winner can choose between a color coded set or a non-color coded set.

And here's a little freebie for ALL of you to enjoy right now:
world continent maps and pin flags!

Of course you can head directly to the store and buy the entire set right now, or you can enter to win the set for FREE!

Here's what you do:
Mandatory entry:
1. Leave a comment on this post.

Extra entries:
2. Like Counting Coconuts on Facebook and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
3. Like Montessori Print Shop on Facebook and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
4. Follow Counting Coconuts and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
5. After today come back and leave me one comment per day on this post until the end of the giveaway.

*NOTE re: separate comments - each entry will be counted as a chance to win. If you put all of your entry requirements into just ONE comment, you'll only have ONE chance to win.

This giveaway will end on Thursday, March 22nd at 9pm Atlantic Time, and is open to anyone, anywhere!

Good luck!

Montessori Services/For Small Hands Review & Giveaway!!

** This giveaway is now closed.
Congrats to the winner!**

I'm really excited about this giveaway because I'm reviewing my long time favorite Montessori supply store, Montessori Services and their partner site, For Small Hands!

You all have seen me link to Montessori Services time and time again. Why? Because I believe they are - without a doubt - the best place to get everything you need to complete and compliment your prepared environment. I'm talking about those wonderful details like baskets, tongs, trays, mats, & pouring kits. It's been my go-to place for those kinds of things ever since I heard about Montessori Services from the Directress at that the top Montessori school here on the island - she orders from them exclusively!

You'll see the materials I've purchased from Montessori Services & For Small Hands peppered throughout our shelves. I could go on and on raving about each and every thing we've ordered, but instead here's just a sample of my absolute favorites:

~pouring stars during our space unit~

We love this gorgeous cobalt blue pouring set. Maria Montessori believed a child's environment should contain beautiful things. This set of carved glass is just that. And it's just the right size for little hands.

MANY of you have asked where I find the tiny objects included in my alphabet box. Among resourcing my own personal collection of odds and ends, I look to Montessori Services to supply some of the particularly cute objects, such as these.

~sorting and transferring~

Trays and transferring tools are in constant use in our classroom. In the sorting activity shown above, the all white tray and three of the tools were purchased from Montessori Services: the mustard spoon, the sugar tongs, and the wooden tongs. PS: this little ladle is also a favorite of ours. :)

~transferring flowers during our St. Patrick's Day unit~

You all know my love of baskets and bowls. The reed baskets shown above, and these tiny maple bowls have been a mainstay on my shelves. They are just the right size for holding small objects for counting and sorting activities.

~space lessons~

And last, but not at all least, these space flashcards. As a family of space geeks, James has multiple sets of space cards, but these are by far his favorite! The colors are vibrant, the photos are real, and the cards are thick and sturdy. Good stuff!

Montessori Services excels at Practical Life materials (their kits are fantastic!), but they also offer much, much more. You can find books on a variety of topics, art activities and supplies, kits and tools for your budding scientist, materials for elementary aged children, and for the youngest child, these wonderful books and toys.

Now for the giveaway! Montessori Services has offered to gift one of my readers a $50 gift certificate!! Wahoo!

Here's how you can enter to win:
Mandatory entry:
1. Leave a comment on this post.

Extra entries:
2. Visit Montessori Services or For Small Hands and leave me a separate comment letting me know your favorite thing in their store.
3. Like Counting Coconuts on Facebook and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
4. Follow Counting Coconuts and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
5. After today come back and leave me one comment per day on this post until the end of the giveaway.

A couple of notes:
:: All comments are moderated - they will NOT appear immediately after you post them.
:: Do not leave your entry comments on the Counting Coconuts Facebook page - they will not be included.
:: Regarding separate comments - each entry will be counted as a chance to win. If you put all of your entry requirements into just ONE comment, you'll only have ONE chance to win.

This giveaway ends at 9pm (Atlantic Time) on Saturday, March 3rd. The winner will be announced the following day.

Good luck, everyone!

Montessori At Home! Giveaway WINNER

A huge thanks to all who entered the Montessori At Home! giveaway this week - there were 659 entries!

The winner is Samantha Lee, who wrote:

"Montessori At Home looks like an awesome resource to have. I love the penny extensions to the math exercises. Thanks for this opportunity!"

Congratulations, Samantha Lee, please email me at countingcoconuts1@gmail.com with your contact details.

To all the rest of you I'm excited to announce that John Bowman, author of Montessori At Home!, is offering a huge discount to Counting Coconuts readers. For the entire month of August, you can purchase his e-book for only $5.95 (that's a $2 savings!!) by clicking the button below!

Or, if you'd like something to hold in your hands, John offers a paperback version (under the title Help Your Preschooler Build A Better Brain) for just $9.95! Such a great deal either way!

Montessori At Home! Review & Two-Part Giveaway!

~This giveaway is now closed!~

Have you heard of Montessori At Home!, the wonderfully resourceful book written by John Bowman? Yes? Then you know just what a treat one of you will be receiving!

For those that aren't familiar with the book, allow me to quote the author's website:

"Montessori At Home! shows you how to easily and inexpensively create over 200 brain building experiences for your preschooler. These Montessori activities are not complicated and require no special training for parents to do at home. We show you everything you need to know to give your child the benefits of these early learning experiences."

John was kind enough to offer me a free copy of his book to review and while the above quote is absolutely true, there's so much more to this fantastic how-to guide. (View sample pages)

Inside of this book you'll find:

::An extensive list of which Montessori materials work well at home as well as a comparative price list.
::Detailed activity guides complete with what age the activity is geared toward, the materials needed, the goal(s) of the activity, how to present it, and potential extensions.
::An informative, yet concise history of Montessori.
::Lots of links and shopping recommendations.

::Over 30 printable activity sheets including the Hundreds Board, Numeral Cards, and Land/Water Forms!

I was delighted to find several activities in Montessori At Home! that we had yet to try - here are just a few I've added to our shelves since reviewing the book:

100 Penny Layout with the Hundreds Board

Pipe Building. The book suggests using real piping materials, which I think is a really fun idea! We happened to have this marble run on hand and used it instead.

Tees & Marbles

Magnetic vs. Non-Magnetic

Fun stuff, right? Montessori At Home! is an excellent in home guide for those wanting to incorporate the Montessori method into their child's learning experience. It's perfect for teachers, parents, grandparents, and anyone with a passion for Montessori!

Now for the giveaway:

John offers Montessori At Home! in two formats: CD and e-book. His paperback version, titled Help Your Preschooler Build A Better Brain, is a bit more condensed though it too is a fantastic resource.

You can try your hand at winning a FREE copy of the CD and the book by entering this giveaway! Open to anyone, anywhere!!

~Please note: the CD and paperback copy of the book is available only to those in the US.
All other locations will receive a downloadable e-book.~

AND because I'm feeling very "mother hen" right now (thanks, pregnancy hormones!), I'm throwing in a little something, too!

~Please note: this portion of the giveaway is only available if the winner is located in the US.
(Sorry - international shipping is just too expensive!)~

I'm such a believer in providing Montessori activities at home that I really want one of your kiddos to benefit from something my son has enjoyed time and again. I'll be gifting the winner ONE of the following:

~photo source~

This juicing kit (from Montessori N' Such) - it comes with everything you see minus the oranges. :)

~OR~

~photo source~

This set of Sandpaper Numerals (from Kid Advance) - a must have in any classroom.

The winner can chose which of the above materials they'd like to receive.

Here's how you can enter to win:
Mandatory entry:
1. Leave a comment on this post.

Extra entries:
2. Like Counting Coconuts on Facebook and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
3. Follow Counting Coconuts and leave me a separate comment on this post letting me know you have/already do.
5. After today come back and leave me one comment per day on this post until the end of the giveaway.

A couple of notes:
:: All comments are moderated - they will NOT appear immediately after you post them.
:: Do not leave your entry comments on the Counting Coconuts Facebook page - they will not be included.
:: Regarding separate comments - each entry will be counted as a chance to win. If you put all of your entry requirements into just ONE comment, you'll only have ONE chance to win.

This giveaway ends at 9pm (Atlantic Time) on Friday, July 29th. The winner will be announced the following day.

~Good luck, everyone!~