I'm all for cooperative learning and playing, but I also like to win. Have you ever witnessed your children win something - even a tiny trinket from a birthday party game - and been tickled to see them so overjoyed? Imagine how exciting it would be to win a contest they actually worked for!

Contests are a fun learning opportunity for families and there are tons of them out there. Sweepstakes are a game of chance (a random winner is chosen from thousands or millions of entries), but contests are typically judged, with an emphasis on skills and creativity. And here's a little secret from back when I worked in corporate America: since contests take some work on the part of the consumer, they usually don't attract nearly the same amount of entries a corporate sweepstakes would. And contests for kids also require some parental involvement or approval. Translation: kid contests get even fewer entries, so your munchkins have a decent shot at winning!

This is why we now have a box in the sidebar (top right) with the latest and greatest kids' contests. Take part if you think a contest will spark your child's imagination, not just because the prize looks good. The contests we feature are like brain games. Fun to do, even more fun to win. So check back often for new listings!

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If your kid gets huffy, frustrated, sad or mad when he or she loses a game, it may be time to discuss the meaning of friendly competition. Check out this great article on how to talk with kids about winning, losing and cheating...with an age-appropriate understanding of what can be said and how to promote competition that's happy and healthy whether your kiddos win or lose. And then play your heart out!

Weird question, I know...but have you ever smelled a can of Play-Doh? It's disgusting! Even my kids hands smell like chemicals after they play with it. But Mama K has come up with a genius way to make the stuff not only smell good, but do good things for our kiddos. Mama K's Aromatic Play Clay is 100% natural modeling clay that uses the power of aromatherapy to soothe and refresh kids.

Mama K's Aromatic Play Clay has no synthetics or artificial dyes and is made using only certified GF flours and organic essential oils (great for kids with Celiac!). As your kiddos knead, mold and shape the clay, they have a great tactile and olfactory experience, making this product really popular among parents whose children have Autism Spectrum disorders. The featured scents are said to soothe (lavender), uplift (sweet orange), ease anxiousness(bergamot), inspire (lemongrass), balance (geranium), refresh (cardamom) and create complete relaxation (chamomile).

The Play Clay comes in a tube that contains five individual four-ounce, recyclable tubs for $24. The chamomile and cardamom varieties are sold separately.

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If you'd rather make your own playdough, here's a link to some homemade recipes. Also, the Sensory Processing Disorder web site has some great ideas for playdough crafts. Be sure to scroll down past their recipes to see the ideas!

Got a budding fashion designer at home? Here's a great way to get your foot in the door (so to speak)! Little MissMatched just kicked off Season 2 of their Project Sock contest. Creative minds of all ages are invited to design a three-pack of fun, funky, colorful socks that don't match. You have until April 15th to enter your original designs; the top 24 will be displayed online until mid-May so fans can vote for their favorites.

One Fan Favorite design will become part of the Little MissMatched 2010 holiday collection, plus the winner gets $1,000 cash and ten packs of their winning socks. Five other designs chosen by a panel of judges will also be sold to the public; each of those designers will get $250 and 10 packs of their winning socks.

Winners of the first Project Sock competition include the fun knee-highs above and the pink-and-orange three pack here (both of those are still available to buy).

To enter the contest, print the template form to draw your designs (or plug it into your favorite design software). You'll find it at the Project Sock home page. Kids ages 18 and under need to have a parent sign their entry forms. Then mail in your entry by April 15th and cross your fingers (and toes!).



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Can you imagine not owning any socks? Neither could four-year-old Hannah (pictured here), who noticed a man without socks while she helped her family serve dinner at a homeless shelter on Thanksgiving 2004. Concerned that the sockless man's feet would be too cold during the winter in their hometown of Toledo, she convinced her mom to take her to buy and distribute socks at local shelters the next day. Over the next two years, Hannah and her mom collected 10,000 socks to donate to shelters. This year, Hannah's Socks - a nonprofit organization - hopes to collect and distribute 150,000 socks. And you can help - whether you want to donate a few pairs, donate money or host a collection drive in your own community.

PBS fans, unite! PBS is having a customer appreciation sale this week, offering 20% off your entire purchase through March 15th. Here are a few of my favorite things available in the online shop:

• National Parks-themed games like UNO, Scrabble and puzzles.
• Growing Greener Schools DVD on how to create environmentally sustainable schools
• A huge selection of Elmo DVDs (my one year old is in love with the furry little guy) and old-school Sesame Street books and shows
• A full PBS Parents catalog of unique resources, including DVDs on dealing with divorce and motivating your kids.

To get the discount, click here: PBS Customer Appreciation Week - 20% Off Your Entire Order 3.15.2010 and input this code at check-out: PBS325.

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Of course, there are also plenty of "grown-up" products one sale at ShopPBS like DVDs and books. But you have to dig a little to find some really great gift items like this Philosophy recipe box. I love Philosophy's yummy-smellling lotions and other bath podcuts. This exlusive box includes three classic recipe-inspired items shampoo, shower gel and bubble baths in these scrumptious scents: fresh melon smoothie, orchard pear jump starter and raspberry sorbet. The recipe box also features three sweet recipes for well-balanced living! It's $18 before your 20% discount and part of the money goes to support PBS programming. Great deal!

Does your family need a green hour? Consider this from the National Wildlife Federation: "Today's kids spend far less time outside than their parents did. For many of them, tweets are not bird calls but 140-word sound bites. Wii, the electronic game, has replaced wheee!-- the squeal of delight." Sad but true. And it's not that those technological advances aren't cool and beneficial in some ways, but what a shame it is to allow them to completely overshadow all the adventures awaiting our kids right in our own backyards!

The National Wildlife Federation's Be Out There campaign is encouraging parents to establish a Green Hour at home: one hour a day for kids to turn off all the electronics and discover the joy of unstructured play in the great outdoors.

They offer a wonderful array of ideas for how to engage your kids, from "camping out" at home to a backyard scavenger hunt. The National Wildlife Federation also has an online store with products to help you explore nature with kids including an ant farm, adventure pack and gardening tools. As spring approaches and the world around us starts to green up again, it's the perfect time to assess how much time our kids are really spending outside and, if need be, schedule a Green Hour at home. I think it could do a world of a good.

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Children & Nature Network chairman Richard Louv says today's kids are suffering from "nature deficit disorder" and that it's truly having an effect on our kids' quality of life. Check out his book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, and find more ideas and research at the Children & Nature Network web site.

Hello Dear Readers!

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend, spending lots of quality time with your spirited kiddos and finding time for yourself, too. It's a constant juggling act, I know. And that's why I've decided to stop blogging at My Sweet Angel Pie on the weekends. My schedule has felt a bit hijacked lately, between my other blog, my radio show, my writing and the creative consulting work I do for companies. To make sure I also have plenty of time and energy for my family, I am determined to find ways to cut back a bit without out compromising the work I love to do. So, I've decided to write for My Sweet Angel Pie daily from Monday - Friday, but take weekends off. Enjoy your Sunday everyone and I'll see you back here on Monday!

♥ Liv