Holiday Extravaganza Giveaway: Tech Kids sponsored by Time to Play Magazine

Welcome to Day 1 of Chester County Moms Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza!!! As you can see we are happy to welcome our friend Chris Byrne, AKA “The Toy Guy” from Time to Play Mag.com to our fun little online party this year. Chris has lots of fun toys to share over the next 12 days!

We are kicking off the 12 days of Giveaways off with techy stuff that kids love!

First up is the Tag Reading System – The new sleeker Tag reader form features an included title that lets kids sample pages and activities from across the Tag library, which is helpful to parents in finding out what kinds of themes and activities their kids are interested in so they can purchase other appropriate Tag products.

The Tag reader is designed to foster children’s love of reading, making learning to read a fun, engaging adventure. Easy to use, amazingly responsive, and small enough for a child to take anywhere, Tag reader brings books to life with just one touch. A small, sophisticated infrared camera at the tip “reads” letters, words, and symbols printed on the special dot-patterned pages of products in the Tag library. Kids can use Tag as they begin their learn-to-read journeys, then continue to enjoy it as their reading skills grow, from hearing an entire story aloud to seeking help with individual words. Parents simply download books’ audio using the PC- and Mac-compatible LeapFrog Connect Application, then sync content to the reader. It’s easy to use, highly intuitive and worry free. Parents can also see what their kids are learning while they read with Tag. The free Learning Path online resource offers personalized insights into children’s learning progress with LeapFrog products.

Retail Value: $35

If you are having trouble accessing the entry form please click here to enter for your chance to win.

Enter to win 2 tickets to see the Philly Burb Red Carpet Premier of ABDUCTION, starring Taylor Lautner.

We are currently promoting the new Lionsgate film ABDUCTION and would like to offer one lucky movie fan an opportunity to attend a VIP fan event that is taking place at a local theatre on Thursday, September 15th at 9pm.

The winner of this contest will 2 VIP tickets to the Philly Burb premier, a gift bag, a chance to walk the red carpet and get to watch a live stream of the LA premiere. All in addition to viewing an advance screening of the film. Sounds like a fun night out to me!

About the movie: ABDUCTION starring Taylor Lautner hits the big screen on September 23, 2011.A youth (Taylor Lautner) discovers the parents who raised him aren’t his real folks, a revelation that triggers events and leaves him running for his life.

Please complete the following for your chance to win:

Ticket Raid Thursday! Enter to win tickets to see "Elmo’s Green Thumb"

Sunny isn’t just the weather forecast on Sesame Street – it’s also the name of Elmo’s sunflower friend! Join all your favorite friends on an amazing adventure as they help Elmo find a new home for Sunny in the all new Sesame Street Live stage show, “Elmo’s Green Thumb“

Elmo has raised his sunflower, Sunny, from a seed, but his floral friend has outgrown the flower pot. Elmo and friends find Big Bird’s garden the ideal place for Sunny to flourish and grow but they are too excited to wait. Rather than let Sunny follow nature’s course, Abby Cadabby, Sesame Street’s fairy-in-training, casts a spell to make Sunny grow. The spell does just the opposite and, instead of growing, Elmo and all of his friends shrink! While Abby searches for just the right words to reverse the spell, Elmo, Zoe,Telly and friends explore Big Bird’s garden from a smaller perspective and learn some big lessons about patience, overcoming their fears and appreciating the role that each creature plays in our ecosystem – from dancing ladybugs and beautiful butterflies to grouchy beetles that scavenge the garden floor. Will being small help Sunny grow tall? It’s a fresh, original Sesame Street Live from a whole new point of view!

Like television’s Sesame Street, each Sesame Street Live production features timeless lessons for all ages. The universal appeal of each musical Broadway-quality production continues long after preschool. Adults will appreciate the high-tech stagecraft, cleverly written script, and music they’ll recognize and enjoy sharing with children, such as “Ladybug Picnic,” “Inch by Inch” and “I Love Trash.”

Elmo and Friends will be in Philadelphia March 12th- March 14th at The Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, PA

To order tickets visit: ComcastTIX.com

For your chance to win tickets, please enter the entry form below.

Win it Wednesday- Tickets to The Philadelphia International Auto Show

One lucky Philly Burb Family will win a Family 5 Pack of Tickets to The Philadelphia International Auto Show, nick-named by car enthusiasts as “Garage Mahal”. With 700 vehicles under one roof the motor head in your family is sure to have a great time.

If you have any trouble viewing the entry form please click here to enter.

Philadelphia International Auto Show Hours:
Monday, January 31st – Friday, February 4th: 12noon – 10pm
Saturday, February 5th: 9am – 10pm
Sunday, February 6th: 9am – 6pm

Show Location:
The Pennsylvania Convention Center (PCC)
1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia PA 19107

Click here for more information

Kids’ Day at the Auto Show!
Following in tradition, the 2011 Philadelphia Auto Show is dedicating the last day of the show to the kids! That’s right, the Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia through its Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation will host its annual Kids’ Day on Sunday, February 6th. Children 12 and under will be offered free admission on this day when accompanied by an adult. Box office admission for adults on February 6th is $12.00. e-Tickets, which are valid any day of the show, can be purchased in advance for a special price of $10.00.

Hosted annually by the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation, Kids’ Day is an exciting time at the show. All of the fun will be in the Kidz Zone, Room 201. Below is some of what we have planned:

9 am to 3 pm – Meet and greet Spider-Man and Iron Man. Attendees will be allowed to pose for photos with these super heros with the option of using their own camera or purchasing a professional 5″X7″ on the spot.
9 am to 5 pm – Auto Show Guests 12 and under can enjoy the following free activities: ride on a 12′ inflatable slide, face painting, balloon creations and arts ‘n crafts projects. For the parents, The Kohl’s Injury Prevention Program from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will be on-hand to educate families about safety and offer low-cost safety devices to increase safety practices in the community. Grown-ups can meet with a health educator or child safety seat technician to receive free education on many different safety topics and get a free home safety kit while supplies last.

Kids’ Day has been a part of a long-standing mission of the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation, which started in 2003 to support child-related programs and causes throughout the Greater Philadelphia Area. To date, the Foundation has made more than $3.5 million in contributions to a number of vital initiatives and organizations that benefit children locally. To learn more about the Foundation and the difference it is making in its communities, please visit http://www.caringforkids.com.

O’Boy! A Great Giveaway from O’Boy Organic…

Chester County Moms contributor Trina at O’Boy Organic has a great giveaway going on right now for Choffy. “What is Choffy”, you ask? Read her post to get the full details, but I’ll give you a little teaser… Choffy is brewed chocolate! That’s right… brewed CHOCOLATE!!!! YUM!

Want to try out Choffy for yourself? Trina is hosting the giveaway on her site (so don’t reply here, click here to visit O’Boy Organic to enter)! Contest ends 1/26/11 at midnight so hurry over!

Win it Wednesday: Family 4 Pack of Tickets to Disney on Ice: Toy Story 3!

Have you heard the buzz? The toys are back in town! Disney On Ice presents Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3! The summer’s biggest hit movie, Toy Story 3, and memorable moments from Toy Story and Toy Story 2 are hitting the ice in this sensational live production coming to Philadelphia, December 23rd-January 2nd.

Our kids absolutely adore Buzz, Woody, Jessie and the Toy Story gang and we are really excited about Disney On Ice presents Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3 coming to the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. We are so excited that we are giving away a family four pack of tickets to Toy Story 3 on Ice!

Disney On Ice presents Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3 is the epic adventure, based on the hit film, of how the characters of Toy Story escape from Sunnyside Daycare and try to make their way back home. Andy is going to college and has to decide what to do with his childhood toys. Woody is convinced he and the other toys are safe because Andy would never get rid of them. However, the gang ends up at the daycare where their adventure begins. During the show, the characters will revisit moments from the first two Toy Story movies, such as, Buzz battling it out with Emperor Zurg and a hoedown at Woody’s Roundup. The show will have the classic Toy Story gang with an addition of a few new characters, including Ken and Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear. It’s a fun and family oriented musical on ice, bringing favorite toy characters to life.

If you are not the lucky family that wins the tickets that we are giving away. Don’t worry we have a great discount offer with code MOM. Click here to take advantage of this special discount offer and order your tickets today.

All Aboard The Pumpkin Express at The West Chester Railroad

West Chester Rail Road
230 E. Market St.
West Chester, PA 19382

All aboard the Great Pumpkin Express! Take a ride on The West Chester Railroad ‘haunted train’ as the friendly ghoulish crew hands out treats to all passengers. Everyone is welcome to dress up in their Halloween costumes. Halloween fun while you enjoy the Chester Creek autumn scenery from a heated train.

Ride the Rails…October 23, 24, 30, 31 at 12PM & 2PM

Cost: Adults – $12.50 Children (2-12) – $10.50
Toddlers (under 2 not on parent lap) – $5.00

For more infomation or directions, please click here to visit the WCRR website.

Brandywine Ballet presents Dracula

Brandywine Ballet presents Dracula October 22 (7:30 pm) & October 23, (7:30 pm), 2010. All performances take place at Brandywine Ballet’s resident theater at the Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall located at the southwest corner of High Street and University Avenue, West Chester, PA 19383. Tickets ranging from $22 – $37 are on sale now at brandywineballet.com and (610) 696-2711. Ticket upgrades for Dinner-and-a-Ballet including a 3-course dinner at Avalon Restaurant are available for $35/person (gratuity not included). Student, Senior, and Group discounts are also available. Order an equal number of tickets for all three production-series in a single purchase and receive a 20% subscription discount.

The Brandywine Ballet offers specially discounted $10 tickets for student field trip groups (one complimentary ticket for every 15 students). The Student/Family Matinee dates are Dracula (Oct. 23) and The Nutcracker (Dec. 11 & 17). Both are at 10 am. Interested teachers or homeschool moms should contact The Brandywine Ballet office directly to purchase tickets and mention Cheter County Moms.

The abundance of vampire themed books, films and television series in modern popular culture illustrates the enduring nature of the folkloric, political, feminist and religious themes at the center of Bram Stoker’s 19th century Dracula novel. Resident Choreographer Nancy Page’s Dracula, based on the original story, follows the repressed Victorian romance of beautiful Mina and the centuries-old, androgynous, vampire prince Count Dracula. Mina, set to marry English solicitor Jonathan Harker, is suddenly torn over mysterious and conflicting passions for a strange, supernatural presence in her life, ultimately personified by Count Dracula who has the power to shape-shift from an English gentleman to a menacing vampire. As forces and personalities collide, and alliances are threatened, the drama unfolds on stage drawing audiences into a spooky, action-packed, atypical love story, in which not only Mina’s heart, but soul is on the line! In addition to impeccable soloing, sensual pas de deux, and exhilarating ensemble dancing, Dracula includes sets of eerily lit 19th century castles and sun-drenched terraces, tantalizing costumes and suspenseful sword battles, artfully gory makeup design and ghoulish drama, as well as an emotionally moving musical score. Tim Early reprises his long-held role of Dracula this year, with newcomer Thomas Gant inheriting the role of Jonathan Harker. Principal dancers Hannah Telthorster and Jaime Lennon return as Mina and Lucy respectively.

Chester County Moms is giving away one family four pack of tickets to see Dracula on Oct 24 at 7:30 pm or Oct 25 at 6:00 pm. The contest will end on October 15th at midnight. Winners will be contacted via email. Only one entry per family.

Our Friends from Hurricane Hill Farm are Giving One Lucky Chester County Family Something Very Exciting….Enter to Win!!

Hurricane Hill Farm is located in Coatesville, PA. For more information on the fun, family friendly activities at Hurricane Hill or directions please click here.

Backyard Discovery Fall Sweepstakes – Enter to Win a Woodridge Playset!!!

As an Ambassador of Backyard Play, I wanted to let you know about Backyard Discovery’s Cool Fall Sweepstakes.

Summer may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean an end to outdoor play time! Families can continue their backyard adventures with Backyard Discovery’s Cool Fall Sweepstakes.

In honor of the cooler and more comfortable seasonal weather, Backyard Discovery wants to encourage families to keep on exploring throughout the coming months by offering the chance to win a brand new Woodridge playset! While equipped with the essentials like a slide, swings and fort, the Woodridge boasts more than just your average playset. With a rock wall, crow’s nest, tunnel, trapeze bar and more, this playset is the ultimate adventure tool, ready to take little explorers to exciting new worlds.

The contest is open now and goes through September 30, 2010. Participants need only become a fan of Backyard Discovery on Facebook and visit http://www.swingsetonline.com/cool_fall to enter!