This contest is now closed. Congratulations to our winner, Melissa Miller! We know you will love the video camera!
Recently I was invited by Kimberly of The Go To Mom to attend a special Sony Event for Social Media Moms, in order to try out the new Sony HDR-PJ10 Projector Handycam and see if I thought families who travel would enjoy the video camera. After about 5 minutes of use I had absolutely no doubt that Trekaroo families would love this video camera- it is small, lightweight, easy to use, and takes great videos. But the one feature that I really felt makes this camera ideal for families on the go is the projector which allows users to easily record video and then project it (in great quality) on a wall, floor, or variety of other flat services. Just imagine spending the day exploring a National Park and then coming back to your campsite at night to watch the day’s highlights on the wall of the tent. So cool!
Here are a few reasons why I think the HDR-PJ10 Sony Projector Handycam would make a great family gift:
- It is easy to use: Simply flip open the screen and the camera automatically turns on! Plus the lens cover is built in so losing the lens cap is a thing of the past. The touch screen is very intuitive, allowing this non-technical mom to look like she knows she is doing! An easy to find and clearly labeled “photo” button that allows the user to take still photos while video-taping. There is even a USB cord built in to the camera so getting video from the camera to your computer for editing!
- Great picture quality: Recently I was watching video from when my kids were babies and was so disappointed at how grainy the footage was. I wish this camera existed 5 years ago! The HD quality is incredible and the image stabilization actually makes it possible for a shaky-handed individual like me to take videos that don’t make viewers nauseous.
- The projector: Before I owned this video camera, watching a replay of a video meant I had to wait until my husband was willing to pull out the cables and configure the television to play the movie. Now, I simply find a wall and press “project” on the video camera and our videos play right before our eyes! While traveling we can take video of our adventures and then easily watch them on the wall of our hotel room, vacation rental, or tent.
- The highlight function: I love when people create fancy highlight videos of their vacations which are set to music. I just didn’t usually have the time or inclination to do it. Now with the Sony Projector Handycam I simply select “highlight “and the video camera magically creates the highlight video for me! To give you an idea of how amazing the highlight function is, click on the video below to see a highlight video the camera created of my kids and their friend’s baking cookies for Christmas (with a cameo of my puppies snagging dog cookies at the very end). As you will see, the camera can take some pretty simple footage and turn it into something special.
The Steal: Win a Sony Projector Handycam!
Details: One lucky winner will receive a HDR-PJ10 Sony Projector Handycam valued at $650.00!
HOW TO ENTER TO WIN:
Step 1: Share this giveaway using the Facebook by clicking the FB “Like” button at the top of the page
Step 2: Leave a blog comment below letting us know that you did.
Get extra entries by repeating steps 1 and 2 once a day. But be sure to leave a new comment each time.
Want more chances to win?
Feel free to do any or all of the following actions. Each action counts as an extra entry but be sure to LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ONE or the entry will not be counted.
-
- Like Trekaroo on Facebook
- Tweet a link to this Monday Mad Steal via @Trekaroo using the Twitter share button at the top of the page.
- Subscribe to the Trekaroo Blog
- Follow Trekaroo on Twitter
- Post this giveaway on your blog
Rules and guidelines:
- 18 years of age or older
- US Residents only
Deadline to enter: Sunday, January 1, 2012 at 11:59PM PST
What is Monday Madness?
Every Monday, Trekaroo announces on our blog, either a fantastic giveaway or an incredible deal. It could be a green water bottle, a hotel stay on Maui or theme park tickets. Return every Monday to the Talking Trekaroo Blog for the details. Want a reminder? Become a Trekaroo member or follow us on facebook or twitter.
Thanks to Online Sweepstakes and CashNet Sweepstakes,.
Disclosure: I was invited to the Sony Social Media Moms Luncheon and received a free HDR-PJ10 Sony Projector Handycam to review for Trekaroo. All opinions are my own.
Sharlene Earnshaw is the blog editor for Trekaroo.
Travel with kids to: CA |CO | DC | FL | HI | IL |MA | NC | NY | OR | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA
This contest is now closed. Congratulations to our winner Carrie! Enjoy your brand new Chicco car seat!
More than 80% of car seats installed incorrectly. That is a pretty staggering statistic isn’t it? It evoked so much anxiety in my husband that while my kids were infants, he became a car seat installation expert. He managed to get their car seats into cars so snug that even police officers who install car seats professionally were impressed. Since I am not a 6’5″ 200lb man, I was never able to secure them quite as tight as dear hubby, hence banning me from ever moving their car seats. It was a major pain.
Chicco’s KeyFit 30 is the #1-rated infant car seat and claims to be among the easiest to install. The double bubble level guides easily demonstrate accurate placement in the vehicle and the car seat detaches from stroller and base with just one hand. On paper it sounded like a great stroller so I put the call out to our Superoos to see if anyone was interested in reviewing the product. One of our Superoos, keebz, already had the KeyFit 30 for her child and loved it so much that she was happy to write a review. She chose the KeyFit 30 because it
- Has a good safety rating
- Fit behind the driver’s seat comfortably
- Has easy to use buckles
- Is easy to install base with LATCH or without the base using a seatbelt
- Able to work with her current stroller frame
- Has a 30 pound weight limit
- Is Affordable
Read her full review of the Chicco KeyFit 30 Car Seat.
Chicco worked with Julie Prom, car seat safety expert with 25 years of experience, to help put together this list of tips on keep kids safe in the car:
- Buckle up everyone, every time, every trip! In a crash or emergency braking, an unbuckled passenger can be thrown into other passengers causing serious injury. Also, ensure there are no heavy, loose objects in the vehicle that can be thrown around in a crash.
- Keep children in a rear-facing safety seat until at least 2 years old. A recent study showed that children under age 2 are 75 percent less likely to die or be severely injured in a crash if they are riding rear-facing. Be sure to use a safety seat designed for the size and weight of your child.
- Never put a rear-facing safety seat in front of an active air bag.
- All children under at least 13 should ride in the back seat. The back seat is nearly 40 percent safer than the front seat.
- Never add any product (including toys and car seat covers or liners) or make any changes to a car safety seat or booster that is not approved by the manufacturer of the seat. Add-on products can interfere with the crash performance of the seat. Beware! Many manufacturers of add-on products will state they have tested them—ONLY use products approved by the car safety seat manufacturer! The safety seat manufacturer is the only one that can confirm the test results of its product.
- Never put an infant-only seat on top of a shopping cart. This makes the shopping cart top heavy. The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Academy of Pediatrics warn against this practice due to numerous reported injuries from carts tipping over and/or babies falling out.
- Finally, ALWAYS read and follow both the car safety seat instructions AND the vehicle owners’ manual when using and installing your child’s seat!
The Steal: Win a Chicco KeyFit Car Seat!
Details: One lucky winner will receive a Chicco KeyFit Car Seat valued at $189.99.
HOW TO ENTER TO WIN:
Step 1: Share this giveaway using the Facebook by clicking the FB “Like” button at the top of the page
Step 2: Leave a blog comment below letting us know that you did.
Get extra entries by repeating steps 1 and 2 once a day. But be sure to leave a new comment each time.
Want more chances to win?
Feel free to do any or all of the following actions. Each action counts as an extra entry but be sure to LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ONE or the entry will not be counted.
-
- Like Trekaroo on Facebook
- Tweet a link to this Monday Mad Steal via @Trekaroo using the Twitter share button at the top of the page.
- Subscribe to the Trekaroo Blog
- Follow Trekaroo on Twitter
- Post this giveaway on your blog
Rules and guidelines:
- 18 years of age or older
- US Residents only
Deadline to enter: Sunday, December 25, 2011 at 11:59PM PST
What is Monday Madness?
Every Monday, Trekaroo announces on our blog, either a fantastic giveaway or an incredible deal. It could be a green water bottle, a hotel stay on Maui or theme park tickets. Return every Monday to the Talking Trekaroo Blog for the details. Want a reminder? Become a Trekaroo member or follow us on facebook or twitter.
Thanks to Online Sweepstakes and CashNet Sweepstakes,.
Sharlene Earnshaw is the blog editor for Trekaroo.
Travel with kids to: CA |CO | DC | FL | HI | IL |MA | NC | NY | OR | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA
Christmas is just around the corner and if you are like me, you may need a to find a couple more items to complete your holiday gift giving list but are a bit stumped on just what to give. Since we at Trekaroo love travel, we thought it would be fun to create a list of some fun gifts to give children who share the same passion. These items might help improve a child’s knowledge of the world, help pass the time on a road trip, or just make life on the road more cozy. Here are a few of our favorites for 2011.
Comfy Critters
Best for: Snuggly kids ages 2-12
Price: $19.99 at Comfycritters
We have all seen those annoying commercials for Pillow Pets and some of us may have even got sucked in to buying one for our kids (myself included), but I think Comfy Critters take the concept of a stuffed animal meets pillow and raises it to a whole new level. My daughter’s Comfy Critter is an adorable little monkey shaped pillow which unfolds to become a hooded blanket. It is super soft and incredibly cuddly and I may found myself using it on multiple occasions while typing late night blog posts. Maybe. Okay I have! And I can’t wait to “borrow” it for our next plane flight as well! Maybe I need to ask Santa for one of my very own…
Brainstring Advanced
Best for: Kids who love puzzles and brain challenges over the age of 8\
Price: $16.99 at Amazon
Brainstring Advanced is a great travel toy, especially for families who are looking to escape the world of electronics for a couple hours. The concept is simple: sort the colored strings out so there is a solid color on every side to remove the knot in the middle. The challenge, however, can be quite difficult depending on how complex the game is set up. Recently, Destination Guroo Michelle McCoy had her boys test out the product on a road trip. She says that it kept her kids entertained for a good section of time. Her nine year old son reports that “I finished it twice and it was really fun. It was hard because you have to use your brain to solve it, but it was fun.” This toy sounds like something that could be passed between both the front and the back seat and lead to some fun races to see who can solve the puzzle the fastest.
The Not For Parents Travel Book series
Best for: Fact and travel lovers ages 8 and up
Price: $13.59 on Amazon
While we are not keen on the title (we feel like the “not for parents” title didn’t fit the inclusive family travel vibe that we all love), we are loving the content of this fun book filled with 200 pages of interesting facts about every country on the planet. Families will love going through this book together as everyone learns new information about exciting events, unusual history, and cultures that live life decidedly different from how we do in the US. The pages are covered with captivating color photos from each nation as well important information such as population, language, and capitals. I loved the book so much I had a hard time giving it back to the kids to read!
We had an 11 year old check out the book for us and she read it cover to cover. She said, “”I really liked it! There are these really scary facts like (the ones about) the Festival of the Dead. It is really fun to read. There is something for every country including a weird fact. For example, in the US, the first person to make a donut didn’t like it because it didn’t have a hole in it so he made a hole in it by using his brass cup.”
Bonus: Families planning trips to London, Paris, Rome, or New York will also want to pick up the Not For Parents books on these cities to put under the tree. Imagine how much more excited your kids will be to visit New York City if they have already read about the city first!
National Park Passport Book
Best for: Nature and history lovers of all ages
Price: $8.95
Officially known as a “Passport to Your National Parks”, this little book is one of my most favorite things ever. It is inside these little books that I log every single National Park system visit that my kids and I complete with a simple rubber date stamp from each location’s visitor center. Sounds simple, but these little books serve as documentation, and proof for that matter, of the amazing adventures we have had and the adventures that are still waiting for us. Order a couple and throw them in your family’s stockings. Then spend Christmas morning looking at the map and deciding where you are going next!
Vasque Breeze Hiking Boots
Best for: Active kids ages 4 and up.
Price: $64.99 on Amazon
Up until recently, I was a pretty allegiant to another hiking shoe brand but after seeing the difference in performance between my daughter’s shoes and my son’s new Vasque Breeze hiking boots, I have officially converted. The boots provide ankle support which is ideal for kids who love to climb and explore on uneven terrain, great traction, are comfortable, and genuinely waterproof. They are great for hiking as well as every day use. Sold!
CityPASS
Best for: Kids with parents who love to explore cities
Price: $29.00- $229.00
I always considered CityPASS to be a great way to see metropolitan areas while on vacation but now, I am starting to see them as a great way for locals to explore their cities major attractions and museums as well. Currently there are CityPASSes in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Hollywood, Houston, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, and the big on in Southern California (which includes a 3 day Disneyland park hopper). If you need to buy a gift for a child who lives near one of these areas, think about how easy it would be to give them a gift to several local destinations for one great price (usually close to 50% off ticket prices).
Disclosure: Trekaroo received samples of the COmfy Critters, Brainstring Advanced, Not For Parents Travel Book and Vasque hiking shoes throughout the year to review. We liked these products so much that we decided to add them to the gift guide!
Sharlene Earnshaw is the blog editor for Trekaroo.
Travel with kids to: CA |CO | DC | FL | HI | IL |MA | NC | NY | OR | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA
Last year, I headed to Las Vegas to check out the latest in children’s products at the ABC Kids Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center. I spent two days walking the MASSIVE halls and found myself bored with product after product being a slight variation of something I had already seen. Luckily, there were a few products that really did stand out. The Piggyback Rider is an alternative to traditional child carriers which embraces the concept of the traditional piggyback without destroying a parent’s back. Now this was something Trekaroo had to test!
Trekaroo Superoo Ginger was assigned the Piggyback Rider to review and her family ended up loving the product. Truth be told, using the Rider did take some getting used to. According to Ginger their “first few attempts with the Rider were a little tricky. Once I adjusted the arm straps to be as tight as possible and realized the foot bar needed to be quite low, there was much less strain on my shoulders. It also took my son several rides to figure out how to adjust his feet so he wasn’t constantly shifting his weight (which can throw off your balance) and to realize that he wasn’t going to fall.” However, Ginger says that “after working out the kinks, we have taken the Piggyback Rider practically everywhere we go.”
Kids love the Piggyback Rider because besides being fun, it also gives them a higher perspective on life. Our favorite short people suddenly get to see the world from mom and dad’s level and they couldn’t be happier. Suddenly, tots can see the lion sleeping in the corner of the cage or the drum major twirling his baton in the big parade. And, when their little legs get tired on hikes, the Piggyback Rider gives kids the option to take a rest without forcing the entire group to slow down.
Read Ginger’s full review of the Piggyback Rider.
The Steal: Win a Piggyback Rider!
Details: One lucky winner will receive one Piggyback Rider (a $79.99 value).
HOW TO ENTER TO WIN:
Step 1: Share this giveaway using the Facebook by clicking the FB “Like” button at the top of the page
Step 2: Leave a blog comment below letting us know that you did.
Get extra entries by repeating steps 1 and 2 once a day. But be sure to leave a new comment each time.
Get even more additional entries:
Feel free to do any or all of the following actions. Each action counts as an extra entry but be sure to LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ONE or the entry will not be counted.
- Fan Piggyback Rider on Facebook.
- Follow Piggyback Rider on Twitter.
- Fan Trekaroo on Facebook.
- Tweet a link to this Monday Mad Steal via @Trekaroo using the Twitter share button at the top of the page.
- Subscribe to the Trekaroo Blog
- Follow Trekaroo on Twitter
- Post this giveaway on your blog
Rules and guidelines:
- 18 years of age or older
- US Residents only
Deadline to enter: Sunday, October 2, 2011 at 11:59PM PST
What is Monday Madness?
Every Monday, Trekaroo announces on our blog, either a fantastic giveaway or an incredible deal. It could be a green water bottle, a hotel stay on Maui or theme park tickets. Return every Monday to the Talking Trekaroo Blog for the details. Want a reminder? Become a Trekaroo member or follow us on facebook or twitter.
Thanks to Contest for Moms, Online Sweepstakes, CashNet Sweepstakes, and Sweepstakes Advantage and Contest Girl.
Disclosure: The reviewer did receive a complimentary stroller in order to complete her review and facilitate the subsequent giveaway. Bumbleride did not ask that the reviewer state an particular opinions and all opinions are the honest opinion of the reviewer.
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Sharlene Earnshaw is the Blog Editor for Trekaroo.
Travel with kids to: CA |CO | DC | FL | HI | IL |MA | NC | NY | OR | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA
With only one week left to vote for Team Trekaroo in the Race to the Alamo and enter to win a trip to San Antonio, we thought we would sweeten the pot and throw in yet another incentive to vote for Sharlene Earnshaw and Team Trekaroo. We are giving away a red Camelbak Blowfish hydration backpack filled with San Antonio goodies!
CamelBaks are great for hiking, cycling, or just walking around a city because they allow you to store your water, snacks, sunscreen, and essentials all in one place while leaving your hands free to keep track of kids or hold onto handlebars. This CamelBak is even better because it is filled with items from the city we have been celebrating all month long- San Antonio!
ENTER TO WIN THE CAMELBAK: Simply vote for Team Trekaroo on the Race to the Alamo site and then leave a comment below letting us know that you did. You may vote once per email address per day through August 31, 2011 so keep voting and leaving comments and we will give you an entry to win the CamelBak for every single vote!
And just in case you have forgotten about the other amazing prize you are entered to win every time you vote for Team Trekaroo (vote daily!), here are the details:
A three night stay at the Grand Hyatt, Paella lunch for four at Citrus, $500 Visa gift card for airfaire and attraction passes for four to:
- The Alamo Trolley
- Enchanted Springs Ranch
- Guiness World Records Museum
- IMAX, Institute of Texan Cultures
- Laser Legend
- McNay Art Museum
- Ripley’s Believe It or Not & Louis Tussaud’s Wax Works Ripley’s Haunted Adventure
- San Antonio Botanical Garden
- San Antonio Children’s Museum
- San Antonio Rose Live – Country Music Show
- San Antonio Zoo
- Schlitterbahn
- SeaWorld San Antonio
- Six Flags Fiesta Texas
- The Buckhorn Saloon & Museum/Texas Rangers Museum
- Tower of the Americas
- Wildlife Ranch Witte Museum
GO TEAM TREKAROO!!!!
Thanks to Contest for Moms, Online Sweepstakes, CashNet Sweepstakes, and Sweepstakes Advantage and Contest Girl.
Disclosure: All travel, lodging, meals, activities, and an iPad were being provided by the San Antonio Visitors Bureau so that Michelle and I could compete in the Race to the Alamo. Visit San Antonio did not ask that any specific opinions about their destination be mentioned. All opinions about San Antonio and the Race to the Alamo are those of Michelle and I and reflect our honest opinion of both the destination and the experience.
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Sharlene Earnshaw (aka doubleadventure) is Blogger-in-chief for Trekaroo and the blogger behind Double the Adventure.
Travel with kids to: CA |CO | DC | FL | HI | IL |MA | NC | NY | OR | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA
