The holiday’s are coming upon us quickly and for most of us that means a joyous season filled with family, friends and gift giving to celebrate the season.

While most of use are sitting in front of a warm fireplace with a warm meal and enjoying the thrill of seeing our children open their gifts from Santa, many others are sitting in cold homes only imagining that they can give their children the gifts their kids so badly want. With the economic conditions these days, we know there are plenty of families that are doing without this holiday season.

Outdoor Play Toys wants to make it just a little bit brighter for 2 lucky families.

If you know of a family that can use a little extra cheer this holiday season, then we want to hear about it!

HOW DO I NOMINATE A FAMILY?

1) Send your nomination to info@outdoorplaytoys.com.

2) Nomination email must include the nominee’s full names, city, state, your name and contact information and a paragraph or two about their situation and why you think they should receive a special gift. (any nomination without all of the information listed will be automatically deleted)

3) Comment on this post that you have made a nomination

4) Like this post to share on Facebook

HOW WILL THE WINNERS BE SELECTED?

1) Outdoor Play Toys will choose 5 nominees from all received. Nominees will be selected based on the impact of the story.

2) The 5 nominees stories will be posted on our Facebook page for public voting. (All personal details will be removed before posting).

3) The 2 nominees with the most votes will receive a special gift based on the children in the home.

WHAT WILL THE WINNERS RECEIVE?

The gifts will be based on the age of the children in the home. Once Outdoor Play Toys has the winners we will evaluate what we feel the best gift is and have it shipped to the winners.

Estimated prize value for each family is $100-$200.

WHAT ARE THE ENTRY DATES?

1) Nominations will be accepted through November 30, 2011.

2) 5 finalists will be posted to our Facebook page on December 4, 2011

3) Public voting will take place from December 4, 2011 – December 9, 2011

4) Gifts will ship to the 2 winners the week of December 12, 2011

On September 24, 2011, in conjunction with Nickelodeon’s 8th annual Worldwide Day of Play, the makers of Clorox2 Stain Fighter and Color Booster want to help give parents a reason to “pledge allegiance” to play with the launch of the Clorox2 Play 2 Day pledge.

Not only is outdoor play fun, it is a stress-buster, brain-booster and friendship builder. It has also proven to help kids perform better in school and become healthier adults. Now, parents can help their children by joining the Play 2Day team by visiting clorox2play2day.com website and taking the pledge.

By making this pledge you will be registering for a chance to win a trip for two to Yosemite National Park.

As part of the Play 2Day program, Clorox2 is partnering with and providing a $50,000 donation to Action for Healthy Kids, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to helping kids learn about staying active and eating well.

Visit Clorox Play 2Day for more details and information on the program.

Congratulations to Leslie S. – the winner of the great Country Barn!

Thanks to everyone who entered!

As many of us on the East Coast know – not every day is sunny! This last winter has been a long one and I am sure many of us are battling daily with bored kids going “Mom, I am bored”! Some kids are even so bored that they are even tired of the video games and computers!

Well now there is an alternative!

The creative line of products from Imagination Box Co. are just what Mom needs to get the kids inspired and be creative!

Now at first glance – it may seem like just a piece of cardboard, but when you look deeper you will see a beautifully designed, eco-friendly and recyclable canvas for your child to color and create with!

Take this stunning Cottage adorned with floral accents and even a door and windows to enjoy! Even the interior features a great design accent so your children can “create” different rooms!

So here is the before……..and then the after! Can you say FUNNNNN!

And there are several styles available or you can get a plain house and create your own design.  And what we love most about this company – not only the fact they are Eco-Friendly, but that they work with a group called Panhandle Special Needs to help them assemble their products! Have to love a company that gives back in so many ways!

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So, would you like to win one of the great products at Imagination Box Co.?

Well, now is your chance! OutdoorPlayToys.com is giving one lucky entrant the Country Barn shown to the left!

TO ENTER:

Visit Imagination Box Co. and let us know what item you love the best in a comment on this post!

FOR 3 ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

1)  Follow Imagination Box on Twitter

2) Like Imagination Box on Facebook

3) Fan Outdoor Play Toys on Facebook

Be sure to leave a comment for each additional entry. A random winner will be selected using Random.org.

Contest ends March 9, 2011, winner will be notified on March 10, 2011.

And the great people at Imagination Box Co. are offering every Outdoor Play Toys a 20% off discount using the code “outdoorplaytoys”

Help Find Oliver! Oliver is one of our Outdoor Play Toys Mascots – and he loves to play in the great outdoors with his humans as often as he can, unfortunately, this sometimes gets him into trouble – since he gets lost quite often. So how can you help? Well you can start by visiting our Facebook Page and becoming a fan!

On our Facebook page we will post a couple of clues that will help you try to find Oliver on our website. We do not know if he is riding quads in the desert, skiing the Alps in Switzerland or maybe even pedaling his way through the woods in his own backyard – but wherever he is we know he needs your help to get back home!

Once you find Oliver just leave a comment here that you have found him and then enter your email and the URL of where you found him in the entry box below!

One random winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries to win the product that Oliver is having some fun with…. Contest ends on Monday – January 17, 2011 at 12pm EST. Winner will be notified the same day!

Contest Rules: 1 winner to be chosen at random from all correct entries submitted.  Prize to be awarded is not to include any option upgrades that may be available, only base models are offered as a prize. Options can be added at the request of the winner, but charges will apply for those options. Only (1) submission per household is allowed. Prize cannot be exchanged for cash or any other product. Eligible contestants must be 18 years or over.