Sunday, November 29, 2009

I Cherish Planet Earth Review & Giveaway

CLOSED
You may have missed it, but in my household, we're really trying quite hard to go a little greener. So when I was offered the opportunity to review I Cherish Planet Earth, a game which pairs the age old delights of pair-matching with ecologically relevant affirmations, complete with colorful and delightful artwork and a story book "A Love Letter to Our Planet."
It's fun, and encourages ecological thinking from an early age, and that's key to making green a way of thinking and acting as a native quality in our children, instead of having to deprogram them when they're older consumerists. Also, I Cherish Planet Earth has won the Dr. Toy 2009 Best Green Product award.
How it's green:
It promotes green thinking.
It's compact, no bigger than a children's book and with no extra bulky boxes and packaging other than the shrink-wrap, it avoids all the nasty packaging waste associated with most children's games and toys.
It's printed on recycled paper with vegetable oil based inks, and is made in the USA.
All this means it's not only green, it's UnEvil.

I Cherish Planet Earth comes complete with a 48 piece pair matching game and drawstring cotton bag, and a 32 page full color story book.

In all honesty, we haven't played with this much. I've looked at it, enjoyed the artwork and message of the book, and I like it, but I Cherish Planet Earth is right up Mongoosine's alley. She will like the positive environmentalism and affirmations as opposed to the scare-tactics of most ecologically conscious toys. I love the friendly tone of the book and game, and so will she. She's the girl who likes to throw B-Earth Day parties where we plant things. So this is her sort of thing. So much so, that this baby is going to go under a certain conifer which just might have beads and other trinkets decorating it, hint hint. It's designed for the whole family, ages 4 and up. Better still, unlike some games which involve loud rattling dice, this is a game that doesn't have to get headache-inducingly loud. That's a double win for me.

I am not sure if I like the positive tone of I Cherish Planet Earth or the artwork better. I am sure Mongoosine will prefer showing off her mad matching skillz to anything else, but such is youth. But what I think the affirmations and game extensions are probably the most meaningful, because not only do they help children to internalize a deeper sense of connectedness to the planet, but they also encourage meaningful thought and positive ecological action.

If you'd like I Cherish Planet Earth for the child, children, family, or school in your life, you can buy it at any of the following:

If you'd like to win your own I Cherish Planet Earth, I've graciously been given the opportunity to give one to one of my followers.

Mandatory Entry:
Leave a comment telling me what lesson you want your children to learn about the environment.

Additional entries:
1. Leave a comment letting me know what username you follow Challenge&Fun on twitter.
2. Leave a comment letting me know you follow my blog.
3. Leave another relevant comment here on my blog and leave a comment here to let me know where I can find it. (unlimited entries)
4. Blog or tweet about this giveaway, linking back to this post. Leave a comment with the permalink. (tweet up to once daily, blog once, don't irritate your followers)
5. Grab my button and leave a comment with the URL where I can find it.

Please leave your email address in your comments if it is not easily accessible via your blogger account.

Giveaway will close December 9, 2009

Open to US and Canada

Winner will be selected via a random number generator and will be contacted via email, as well as announced on this blog. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to notification email, else an alternate will be selected via whichever ridiculous methodology moves me. Iguana racing or some such nonsense.

Disclosure: I received a free I Cherish Planet Earth to review.

47 comments:

Tracey said...

The biggest lesson I want my kiddos to learn is that they CAN make a difference!

Tracey said...

I follow on Twitter as aMothersEarth

Tracey said...

I follow you

Betsy Knight said...

I want my son to learn that being eco-friendly is "cool" and that his example can encourage others.

Betsy Knight said...

I follow on Twitter as @betsyssi

Betsy Knight said...

I follow your blog

Betsy Knight said...

Tweet!!~http://twitter.com/betsyssi/statuses/6234192541

Jaime said...

I want my son to learn about what products aren't biodegradable and ways to generate less trash.

Jaime said...

i follow @challenge&Fun on @thelightsgodown

Jaime said...

tweet http://twitter.com/thelightsgodown/status/6239493652

Mama Campbell said...

I hope to teach them to respect the earth in what they do. I LOVE the idea that 7th generation uses from Native Americans about not thinking how you will impact this generation, but 7 generations from now.

Mama Campbell said...

follow Challenge&Fun on twitter (MamaCampbell)

Jaime said...

tweet http://twitter.com/thelightsgodown/status/6266438308

joahsgrandma said...

I want my grandsons to learn why it's important to recycle as much as possible.

joahsgrandma said...

I follow on Twitter (slmiresse)

Joannof10 said...

I want my kids to learn that doing small things for the earth is just as important as doing big things...

Joannof10 said...

I now follow your blog

Angela said...

I want my children to learn to not take the environment and Earth for granted. To appreciate and protect it.

charisma3458 @ hotmail.com

Angela said...

Following Challenge&Fun on Twitter. charisma3458

charisma3458 @ hotmail.com

Angela said...

Following you.

charisma3458 @ hotmail.com

Angela said...

Tweeted http://twitter.com/charisma3458/status/6291174087

charisma3458 @ hotmail.com

Nancy said...

I want Emma to learn that we have to respect what God gave us. We have to stop destroying our planet so future generations can enjoy Earth's beauty!

nancy at 513ventures dot com

Nancy said...

following them with nanceattack

nancy at 513ventures dot com

Nancy said...

blog follower

nancy at 513ventures dot com

Nancy said...

tweeted http://twitter.com/nanceattack/status/6294802930

nancy at 513ventures dot com

Ms. Anita said...

I want my children to learn that there are many things that can harm wildlife... like the plastic "rings" that come on some soft drink packaging -- and other things like that. I want them to realize that even a small step like cutting those apart can help save a bird or some other animal's life.
roseinthemorning [at] gmail [dot] com

Ms. Anita said...

I follow Challenge & Fun on Twitter -- @HSBSuzanne
roseinthemorning [at] gmail [dot] com

Ms. Anita said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ms. Anita said...

I tweeted about this...

http://twitter.com/HSBSuzanne/status/6304328344

roseinthemorning [at] gmail [dot] com

Jennifer T. said...

I want my child to learn conservation and protection of the Earth and nature.

Nancy said...

tweeted http://twitter.com/nanceattack/status/6324994602

nancy at 513ventures dot com

CaroLyn said...

I'd like the Baby Piranha (aka Emily) to really take to heart the Margaret Mead quote: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

CaroLyn said...

I tweeted!

http://twitter.com/xxcaro/statuses/6321615245

CaroLyn said...

I follow your blog through Google Friend Connect - username xxcaro [at] gmail [dot] com

Nancy said...

tweeted http://twitter.com/nanceattack/status/6354317028

nancy at 513ventures dot com

Krista said...

I want my kids to learn they don't need more stuff; especially when it's just newer versions of the stuff the already have & still works.

Luvschweetheart AT gmail.com

Krista said...

I follow Challenge&Fun on twitter (@Luvschweetheart)

Krista said...

I follow your blog (Krista S.) luvschweetheart AT gmail.com

Krista said...

I tweeted: http://twitter.com/Luvschweetheart/statuses/6357754861

Luvschweetheart AT gmail.com

Jaime said...

tweet http://twitter.com/thelightsgodown/status/6367015750

Nancy said...

tweeted http://twitter.com/nanceattack/status/6385035658

nancy at 513ventures dot com

Jaime said...

tweet http://twitter.com/thelightsgodown/status/6398639113

Nancy said...

tweeted http://twitter.com/nanceattack/status/6409481584

nancy at 513ventures dot com

Nancy said...

tweeted http://twitter.com/nanceattack/status/6443182340

nancy at 513ventures dot com

Nancy said...

tweeted http://twitter.com/nanceattack/statuses/6468473924

nancy at 513ventures dot com

Nancy said...

tweeted http://twitter.com/nanceattack/status/6495940367

nancy at 513ventures dot com

Anonymous said...

man that was a good one..really