Smarcks Smart Blocks giveaway

**CLOSED**

Smarcks Inc. set out on a mission to combine the creativity of stacking & building with the educational benefits of electronic toys. The company says that Smarcks are the world’s smartest building blocks and after Ryan started playing with them it was easy to see why! The company sells a basic starter set (which is what we are giving away here) and several add on sets that are to be introduced progressively based on the child’s age/development.  The blocks, which use batteries and a built in speaker, teach about spelling, counting, shapes, math, colors, manners, nursery rhymes and math!

The Smarcks website has all the information you need about these products including audio samples for each unique block. Check out the age 1+ Red, Yellow and Green Blocks Kit which is designed to teach toddlers about colors, nursery rhymes and good manners. Or if your child is a little bit older you can try the age 5+ Math Blocks Kit, featuring a blue “monkey math block,” purple “addition block” and red “subtraction block!”

My 13 month old son has already done quite a bit of block stacking, but he definitely understands that this toy is different from anything else that he plays with. At this age he doesn’t understand what activates the blocks or how to put the more complex blocks into correct sequences (see below), but with a little help from mom and dad, the talking/singing/flashing blocks easily grab his attention!

He really loves the single blocks right now because they’re easiest for him to grab and stack… but I’d say he also likes to try to place blocks strategically in mom and dad’s walking path, haha. Steve and I were trying to figure out one of the more complex sequences involved with the 4+ Music and Dancing Lights kit and we decided that this product is an awesome value because we will be able to challenge our son with Smarcks until he’s at least 7 or 8 years old! It’s a toy that lasts forever!

Let’s go through an example of one of the many features and possibilities for one “special block”–the “Red Music Block” from the “Music and Dancing Lights” add on kit (ages 4+). Below is a picture of the required blocks to fulfill the “Red Music Block sequence” including one “2 block,” two “3 blocks,” two “4 blocks” and two “5 blocks.”

Now I will list the required steps (reference the pictures below as well)

Step 1: firmly place the Red Music Block onto the 2 Block to hear the Smarcks Theme Song from beginning to end as a reference
Step 2: place the Red Music Block onto two 3 blocks to hear the beginning verse of the Smarcks Theme Song
Step 3: place the Red Music Block onto one 3 block and one 4 block to hear the next verse of the Smarcks Theme Song
Step 4: place the Red Music Block onto one 3 block and one 5 block to hear (you get the idea)…
Step 5: place the Red Music Block onto two 4 blocks…
Step 6: place the Red Music Block onto one 4 block and one 5 block…
Step 7: place the Red Music Block onto two 5 blocks to hear the final verse of the Smarcks Theme Song

Note: If steps 2-7 are done correctly in order the Red Music Block will play a series of flashing lights as well as play the Smarcks Theme song in order… so much fun!

This may seem a little overwhelming, but all of the information you need is in the Puzzle Builder Guide. We are eagerly waiting for our son to grow into this toy so we can challenge him with math problems, spelling, learning colors and the tons of other possibilities with Smarcks! Until then, he will continue to enjoy stacking and throwing the blocks and watching mom and dad use the builder guide

GIVEAWAY:
One lucky winner will get a 70 Piece Building Block Starter Set!

MANDATORY ENTRY (must be completed before any extra entries will count): visit Smarcks and tell me which kit is perfect for your child!

EXTRA ENTRIES (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

2 entries: follow publicly on google friend connect (blue “join this site” button on the right)
1 entry: like Smarcks on facebook
1 entry: subscribe to Smarcks email newsletter (bottom left corner)
1 entry: follow me on twitter
1 entry: tweet about this giveaway (can be done 3x/day with at least an hour between each tweet): Challenge your child with #SmartBlocks from #Smarcks! Win one from @babydickey! http://bit.ly/expkZM #giveaway
1 entry: like Baby Dickey on facebook
1 entry: subscribe to this blog by RSS and/or email (1 entry each)
1 entry: follow my other blog, Baby Dickey, publicly on google friend connect
2 entries: blog about this giveaway, including a link to this post and to Smarcks
2 entries: grab our Giveaways button and leave a link where I can find it
1 entry: follow this blog on networked blogs
1 entry: follow my other blog on networked blogs
1 entry: enter any of my other current giveaways (1 entry per giveaway)
2 entries: enter the Smarcks giveaway at Little BGCG!

*Giveaway ends February 28th, 2011 at 11:59pm CST. The winner will be chosen using random.org and will be notified by email. The winner has 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.*