Thomas & Friends Adventures on Misty Island MEGA Bloks train set

Look what I won at a Twitter party recently: a Thomas & Friends Adventures on Misty Island MEGA Bloks set. My preschooler was so happy when I surprised him with it! (Whoever thinks Twitter is a waste of time doesn't know how you can form friendships and connections with people -- and sometimes win something cool!)

I just happened to see the Thomas & Friends Twitter party going on one night and joined in because my sons are completely indoctrinated in the cult of Thomas. We have several bins full of the Thomas Wooden Railway, Trackmaster and the Take Along lines of toy trains. And now, the boys can play with their new Thomas MEGA Bloks track.

My son wanted to play with the set immediately, and I took everything out of the box. I was a little intimidated setting it up because I'm just not used to putting together 101 pieces of anything while following directions in a booklet. I think it took me 20 minutes to put the set together.



I did a fine job, no?

My preschooler excitedly played with it (he had the set to himself because his little brother was taking a nap), but after about 40 minutes, he had dismantled most of it and wanted me to help him put it all back together again. I told him he should try to do it himself, and he found new ways of putting the set together. He got frustrated, but he did it.

So while a train set with lots of little blocks may be intimidating at first, the great thing is the MEGA Bloks set can be put together several ways. In fact, the layout shown on the outside of the box it came in is different from the way the booklet shows how to put it together. The downside is the little blocks come apart with play, but the upside is unlike some other train sets, kids can build and rebuild the track however they want.

It's a new world of trains -- and creative play -- for my preschooler.

Sand and water play table

My sons love their new Sandy Lagoon Water Park sand and water play table.

My preschooler loves to play in the tables at school that are filled with grains of rice to scoop, pour and run your fingers through. I thought it would be great to find a rice table he could have at home.

When Toys R Us recently had a sale on sand and water tables, we went shopping.

My son had already been given a sandbox (which looks like a frog), but I never liked that he could sit right in the sand. Sand would be stuck to him all over. And then he'd bring it inside. Ugh. (And I don't want to mention how many times as a toddler he would try to eat the sand.)



A sand table, however, means that he would mostly avoid getting sand down his shorts! And because I plan to fill the table with rice anyway, I hope nothing will be stuck to him.

The table is divided into two sections so kids can play with the sand (rice) or the water. I have a feeling sand and water end up in both sides, though.... And little characters come with the Sandy Lagoon Water Park so I kids can pretend they are at Typhoon Lagoon in Disney World.



The table was so easy to put together, even I was able to do it.

Now I've just got to get rid of that frog sandbox!

Alternatives to candy for Easter baskets

For most kids, one of the highlights of Easter is unpacking an Easter basket full of treats -- mostly, candy like jelly beans and chocolate rabbits. Because my preschooler has several food allergies and intolerances, though, he can't eat most candy. And my one-year-old definitely doesn't need a lot of junk food, anyway.

For my sons' Easter baskets this year, I shopped mainly for cute toys I know they'll love. Toys and books are good basket fillers -- they take up more room than most candy so you don't have to buy as much -- and they last longer!

I found these Easter basket goodies at Target: Hot Wheels cars inside plastic eggs, bug catchers, Thomas train Easter sets, sunglasses and books. I plan to divide the Hot Wheels eggs between the boys.



I know some girls like these things, too -- but if not, then little plush animals, Zhu Zhu pets, hair clippies and dolls are nice.

At Toys R Us/Babies R Us, I found some magnetic letters that will replace some of the ones that have gotten lost under the refrigerator (and likely sticking to the metal under side of the fridge, which is why I can't find them, ugh!).



My little guy is crazy for stickers.



And my preschooler, who between the two boys is the most obsessed with trains, will be surprised with an engineer's cap (also from Target).



Other ideas: coloring books and crayons (or my favorite, the Crayola Color Wonder markers and coloring pads), small containers of Play-Doh, jewelry, fun socks, trading cards, DVDs or even a rolled-up T-shirt.

What other non-food things have you put into a kid's Easter basket?

Toy Story 3 mania!

Toy Story 3 comes out on Friday, and I have more than a few friends who can't wait to see it and are lining up playdates -- and the kids can come too.

Some of my favorite Toy Story 3 things so far are a free Toy Story 3 iPhone app and the chance to win a Toy Story 3 room makeover. On a recent trip to our nearby Disney Store, my preschooler spotted the Lego Toy Story 3 Great Train Chase set and wanted to take it home immediately. (However, we are practicing delayed gratification in our household. Yeah, that's a good thing to call it....)

There is also a fun Toy Story 3 video game that came out today that lets you play with Andy's toys your way. I love games that let kids use their imagination. The game is available for Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, Play Station 3, Nintendo DS or computer (PC or Mac) and costs $30-$50, depending on the format. I have a game to give to a top commenter at Tropic of Mom, courtesy of Disney Interactive Studios!