At our house July is birthday month for my boys. So I figured that we needed a birthday freebies/ birthday club list for kids too. TDon't forget to check out our post about adult birthday freebies. If you know of any others that we don't have please let us know.

Baskin Robbins-Get free ice cream on your birthday along with a coupon for $ off a birthday cake.

BD’s Mongolian Grill- Get a coupon for a free stir fry on your birthday. (this isn't technically a kids club, but they have let my kids use the coupon anyway)

Bob Evans- Receive a coupon in the mail for a free kids meal.

Burger King- Receive a coupon for a free kids meal

Captain D's- Receive a coupon for a free kids meal

Chuck E Cheese- Receive 20 free tokens

Cold Stone Creamery- Receive a coupon good for a special birthday treat

Denny's- Receive a coupon for a free Grand Slam breakfast

Friendlys- Receive a coupon for a free ice cream or kids meal w/ purchase

The Great American Cookie Co- Receive a coupon for a cookie cake slice.

Kidtoons- Receive a voucher to see a free movie during their birthday month.

Maggie Moos- Receive a coupon for a Free kid's size cone.

Noodles and Company- Receive a coupon for a free dish on your birthday. (this isn't technically a kids club, but they let my kids use the coupon anyway)

Perkins- Receive a free kids meal

Quaker Steak and Lube- Receive a coupon in the mail for a free kids meal

Rita’s- Receive a coupon for buy one get one free any item.

Sonic- Receive a free kids meal

Toys R Us- Receive a special card and a $3 gift card coupon.

Young's Jersey Dairy- Receive a free kids meal.

Is this summer heat getting to you?! It is getting to me and my kids! To cool off, we’ve been heading to local parks that have “splash pads.” One of our favorites is Orchardly Park in Oakwood, located in the block between Wonderly Avenue and Orchard Drive on Delaine Avenue. The park has fun spray sculptures to cool off, as well as a large sand pit, a toddler play area, and lots of play equipment for bigger kids. There is a basketball court, and tennis courts, too. There is so much to do, it is easy to spend a good part of your day here, and best of all, it is FREE!

Do you have a favorite park that you'd like to share with others? Leave us a comment and let us know. We might even write about it!

Celia

Ok, I'll admit it, when it comes to baby items if you ask me my opinion (or those unlucky few people that look confused at BabiesRUs when registering that get my unsolicited advice) I have certain items that I'll tell you are the BEST baby products that all parents need to have. I love those bibs with the scoop pockets, we always called them pelican bibs. I really like the Playtex sippy cups because they don't leak and the valves don't fall out as easily as some other brands. And I really like the Gerber soup spoons for kids learning to self feed.

Well, I was really excited when I was given the opportunity from Mom Bloggers Club and Tommee Tippee to try some of the Tommee Tippee line. See a few months ago I started following Tommee Tippee on Twitter and won a set of their scoop bibs! If you have a Twitter account I would suggest following them too, you can stay up to date on new products and enter giveaways. Now these bibs are studier than the ones that I was currently using and they came in a twin pack. So I was more than happy to try out a few of their other products. I received their non slip easi-mat, a set of weaning bowls with lid and spoon, and the spill proof water bottle.

Ok, now let me break them down for you.

First the easi-mat sticks to ANY table surface. It's not like one of those mats (ahem kiddopotamus placement) that doesn't stick to wood tables and is nearly impossible to stick to the table. The Tommee Tippee easi-mat has no problem sticking fast to tables and high chair trays. It has a little suction cup that hold onto bowls or plates. I tried using it with some baby plates that we have, and they stuck easily along with the bowls that I received in my package.

Next comes the weaning bowls. They have a lid that has a little holder built in for the spoon. It's one of those awesome soft spoons- just like the Gerber one that I liked. But this spoon is a step BETTER! It is curved a bit so that it's easier to feed with! Genius I tell you! The lid fits tightly to the bowls and the bowls stick to the mats. Now, incase you think, "come on I've gotten those bowls and plates with the suction cups and they don't work." Hey, I was skeptical too- seriously I always thought that the suction cups gave my boys a chance to try and prove that they were strong enough to rip the bowl off the table. But with my Tommee Tippee easi-mat and bowl… haha I won, or more accurately the bowl and mat won.

Finally, the spill proof water bottle. Now B JUST started taking sippy cups and he wouldn't use the bottle, but I did test it's spill proof-ness. I left it for 2 hours upside down and after 2 hours there was a small puddle of water. But come on, what cup can sit upside down for that long and not leak a tiny bit. He actually threw it down a few times and the valve didn't come out or cause it to leak after the impact. Now my only complaints are that I wish the easi-mat was larger or came in a placemat sized mat. And I wish that they made plates. I left them a comment on their Facebook wall and shared with them my ideas. I'd  be pretty excited if they use my suggestions. I decided to take a picture of B this morning eating his Cheerios with his Tommee Tippee  mat, bowl, spoon and bib. He looks sleepy, but so cute! I tried to get a picture of him attempting to pull the bowl off the mat, but he's realized that it doesn't work and doesn't bother to try and pull it off now.

Overall I'm VERY impressed with the Tommee Tippee line. So much that I'm going to Babies R Us tomorrow to buy some more bowls for us. Right now Tommee Tippee is sold at Toys R Us and Babies R Us stores nationwide as well as online at BabiesRUs.com. I also learned that now through July 23 when you buy an Explora item (cups, toddler feeding items), you can get a second item at 50% off! So, I guess that my "list" of must have baby products just got a few more quality items added onto the list.

Just so you know I received products free from Tommee Tippee and I am a reviewer for the Mom Bloggers Club. But I really am impressed by Tommee Tippee, and I really am going to Babies R Us and buying more! All of the opinions in this post are my own.

Swagbucks. Have you heard about Swagbucks? Maybe you've seen it on someone’s Facebook wall and wondered what it was?

Search and Win
Swagbucks is a place to earn rewards while you search the internet. It is simple; you sign up for a free account and do searches through their website and you randomly win “Swagbucks!” After you accumulate “Swagbucks” you can redeem them for rewards. Giftcards, books, music, etc. can all be “bought” with Swag Bucks! I recently redeemed some Swagbucks for some $5 Amazon e-giftcards that I used to buy The Jesus Storybook Bible (which I love, and was recommended by Amy!)

So maybe you are wondering.. well, how do I "win." The best way to earn Swagbucks through searching is to “search” for websites you would normally type in! For example, if you wanted to visit your favorite blog (Deals for Dayton) you can enter it as a search on Swagbucks and still get to the website, only with more Swagbucks! Wondering what's going happening on Facebook today? Well, don't just type in the site- Swagbucks it! You'd be surprised how many times I Swagbucks-ed Facebook and earns bucks for it.

I joined Swagbucks in January and have enough to get $75 worth of Amazon e-giftcards! My husband and I decided to save them up until it got closer to Christmas and we are going to use our Swagbucks to buy Christmas presents. What are you going to use your Swagbucks for?!

If you know someone that uses Swagbucks, ask them to refer you. Getting referrals increase your earnings, so help your friends out! It's a great way to earn points for yourself and help your friends that use Swagbucks earn points.

So broken down to it's bare bones, Swagbucks is a search engine that awards you just for using their search engine. Seriously who doesn't like getting rewarded for doing what you do anyway?! So go sign up now- and start searching and winning!

Celia

Looking for some FREE coffee? Well, it's as simple as heading to Borders and downloading an app. Download the FREE Borders eReader App to your device. Just show the barista at Seattle's Best the app on your device and receive your FREE COFFEE.

Guess what?! I woke up this morning to my first Dayton Groupon deal! I was so excited, to see that our little group has gotten big enough now and we are our own official group. If you don't know about Groupon be sure to read out our previous post. Well, today's deal is $15 of Barbeque and Drinks for ONLY $7 at OinkADoodleMoo. I know one of my readers that really loves this place (Erinne- I'm talking about you), and I personally like supporting local businesses. Have you signed up to join Groupon yet? Today is your day Dayton- get in on the Dayton Groupon as it kicks off. 

So my youngest is teething... I see it as a good and bad thing. I'm excited that he's getting teeth and it means he's growing up. But he is a BEAR about getting teeth in. Although I can't blame him I remember how much it hurt when I got my wisdom teeth in. He seems to get a bunch all at once so he's drooling and sticking everything in his mouth. Well, I was so excited when I found Teething Bling. Their website is actually SmartMomJewerly.com, and WOW are these some SMART moms! 

I haven't been wearing much jewelry lately since he almost broke my favorite necklace and my silver bracelets all have teeth marks in them from him now. I put my new Teething Bling on and guess what happened!? Two seconds later B already had my necklace in his mouth. Good thing is that this time it is made specifically for his biting teeth!!

Teething Bling was inspired by babies who tug on our jewelry. Their products are made from high quality, phthalate-free, federally approved silicone. The materials are non-toxic, latex free, food and dishwasher safe. They have several fun pendants and bangles, and are always working on new products. Be sure to follow them on Facebook for frequent giveaways, stock updates, and updates on new products.

Right now it seems like I know TONS of newly pregnant moms, but I'm thinking that Teething Bling is the perfect baby shower gift! It's something for the mom that fun and something that's practical for the baby. My mom was always one for practical gifts, and I've become that way too now. Well, here is a special coupon code for 20% off for all our readers. Just enter S-SMJ at checkout for your 20% off.

Have any of you gotten Teething Bling for your own baby or purchased it for a gift? We'd love to hear about it!

I was given a Teething Bling set for my review. I was allowed to keep the products, but the opinions in my review are all my own.

We love going to the park and always enjoy exploring new and different parks in our area. We realized that some of you might be looking for a fun new park to visit too, so we broken down the Dayton Five Rivers Metro Parks and highlighted some of the key features that we noticed. Five Rivers Metro Parks have a total of 19 parks in the Dayton area. At each of these parks, there are numerous activities and events that you and your family can enjoy. I have done brief summaries of each park including activities that may be of interest. To get more information, be sure to check out their site.

Aullwood Garden
Location: Englewood
Aullwood Garden has a prairie and garden path to observe and experience wildlife and beautiful garden beds. This park is more for walking and hiking. (There is not play equipment at this park.)
 
Carriage Hill
Location: Northeast Dayton (Huber Heights area)
Carriage Hill is a huge park with plenty of walking paths, open areas, camping, and horseback riding facilities. There is also a preserved historical farm on site that is still operating. The farm includes farm animals that kids are bound to love! If you go to the park between the hours of 10am-12pm or 1pm-4pm, daily, there are demonstrations that you may be able to participate in! (Baking bread, feeding farm animals, etc.) There are also horseback riding lessons offered, and pony rides on some weekends. (There isn’t play equipment at this park.)
 
Cox Arboretum
Location: southeast Dayton (West Carrolton area)
Cox Arboretum is a large garden park offering walking paths among various types of gardens and ponds. There is also a butterfly house (opening at the end of June) that allows one to experience butterflies in their natural habitat. It is a beautiful place to walk around with the family. (There is not play equipment at this park.)
 
Deeds Point
Location: Downtown Dayton
Deeds Park is an urban park that sits along the Miami River. There are paved walking paths going through beautifully landscaped gardens. (There is not play equipment at this park.)
 
Eastwood Park
Location: East Dayton
Eastwood Park includes a large lake for fishing and boating. There are also creeks running through the park, and a combination of wooded areas and clear spaces for sports. There is also a playground with picnic shelters nearby. A great park for a variety of activities!
 
Englewood Park
Location:  Butler Township
Englewood Park is a huge park that offers almost everything. Camping, canoeing, kayaking, bridle trails, disc golf coarse, hiking, and a lot more! There is not a playground, but there are plenty of other activities to keep your family busy!
 
Germantown Park
Location: Germantown
Germantown Park is a large park that offers quite a few activities. It offers camping, fishing, canoeing, picnic areas, hiking and lots to do! There isn’t a playground, but there are a ton of other activities to keep your little ones busy!
 
Hills and Dales Park
Location: Kettering
Hills and Dales is a park that offers a variety of activities. There is a newly remodeled playground and picnic shelter area, as well as hiking trails, and natural forest. It is a scenic place to spend time with the family!
 
Huffman Park
Location: Fairborn
Huffman Park gives opportunities for outdoor sports like mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, fishing, and hiking. There are sheltered picnic areas, and lots of opportunities to observe nature! (There are is not play equipment at this park.)
 
Island Park
Location: North Dayton
Located just north of downtown, Island Park offers a relaxing “urban oasis.” There is hiking, canoeing, a bike trail, and then a playground and water play area that is sure to entertain the kids!
 
Possum Creek
Location: South West Dayton
Possum Creek is a sustainable farm that allows for lots of great learning experiences for the family. There are opportunities for hiking, fishing, playing on the farm, and camping. There is also a playground for little ones to burn even more energy!
 
Riverscape
Location: Downtown Dayton
Riverscape is a great urban park that Dayton offers. They offer a rental service for paddleboats, skates, bikes, and ice skates in the winter. There are numerous colorful gardens that decorate the paths along the river. There is also a water play area for those hot days when you need to cool off.
 
Sugarcreek Park
Location: Bellbrook
Sugarcreek Park is a beautiful place where your family can camp, hike, and offers horseback riding trails. (There is not play equipment at this park.)
 
Sunrise Park
Location: North of Downtown Dayton
Sunrise Park is a small park that is beautifully landscaped. It is a great place to relax with a walk, bike ride, or to go fishing. (There is not play equipment at this park.)
 
Taylorsville Park
Location: Vandalia
Taylorsville Park is a beautiful place to fish, picnic, hike, or canoe. There is also a bike trail and camping available.  (There is not play equipment at this park.)
 
Twin Creek
Location: Germantown
Twin Creek is connected to Germantown Park, and offers bridle trails, fishing, camping, and picnicking facilities. (There is not play equipment at this park.)
 
Wegerzyn Gardens
Location: North Dayton
Wegerzyn Gardens is a beautiful park that the whole family is sure to enjoy. There are paths for hiking and experiencing the beautiful gardens. The best feature of Wegerzyn Gardens is the Children’s Discovery Garden. In the Discovery Garden, everything is child size, and kids are welcome to experience plant life through digging, touching, and observing the plants and flowers. There is also a water play area to splash around in! (Check out this video about the Discovery Garden.)

Wesleyan Park
Location: West Dayton
Wesleyan Park is a park where your family can enjoy a bike ride, go fishing, have a picnic, or play on a playground. It offers something for everyone!
 
We Daytonians are a lucky bunch to have access to such beautiful spots for our families to enjoy! You can follow Dayton Metro Parks on twitter @metroparkstweet or “like” them on facebook to learn more about what is offered! (There are also lots of activities they can remind you of!) Have any of you been to any of these parks? Leave us a comment and tell us about it!!