Picture this: it’s a blustery cold afternoon. Your house is full of kids with too much energy and nothing to do that doesn’t involve running in circles around you. You’re happy to have them doing something other than huddling over the iPad or staring blankly at the TV, but you’re starting to lose your sanity. The answer? Just Dance Kids 2014.

Picture this: you have a long-standing love affair with Just Dance, only now your kids have figured out you’re having all the fun. They want to do it with you … only you’re worried some of the songs might not be 100% appropriate for your kindergartner. The answer? Just Dance Kids 2014

Picture this: you really, really miss The Wiggles. If only someone would bring them back so you could get your Hot Potato back on! The answer? Just Dance Kids 2014

No matter what the scenario, if you have younger kids and a Wii, Wii U, or Xbox 360, Just Dance Kids from Ubisoft is just what you need for kid-friendly entertainment that will have them moving and giggling. We’ve been Just Dance fanatics for years. And even though Eli has been bustin’ a move right alongside of us for many of those dance parties, he loves having a version just for him and his friends. It has simple menu icons he can figure out on his own. Songs range from preschooler favorites up to some of today’s biggest pop hits. You have the ability to create custom playlists to keep the kids dancing non-stop, and up to 4 kids can play cooperatively at one time.

And I’m sorry, but even on the gloomiest, coldest of days, if watching little booties shake to “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” doesn’t make you smile, you need a serious Just Dance intervention.

Whether you need a fun holiday gift or a sanity-saver for the long winter days ahead of us, Just Dance Kids 2014 is definitely the answer.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

RoseArt provided me with their arts and crafts product to review and share with my kids.  All thoughts and opinions regarding the RoseArt Extreme Air Brush Studio are my own.  This post contains affiliate links.

I was around 7 years old when my older brother brought home some airbrushing equipment. Without revealing how old I really am, let’s just say this was in the 80s, when airbrushed t-shirts were at the height of coolness. You needed one with your name, and possibly some flames (for a boy) or a nice tropical scene (for a girl). And you needed it yesterday.

I was thrilled to see my brother, 11 years older than me, carefully unpack his airbrushing tool and the rainbow of colors to go with it. I just knew I’d have a closet full of those shirts, maybe some posters, just as soon as he’d let me get to work. With only a few feet between me and airbrushing glory, he quickly made it known that my hands and that airbrush would never meet. Any attempts to try otherwise got me an earful of mafia-worthy threats and a wedgie for good measure. As a reward for leaving his treasure alone, I got one measly t-shirt.

Fast-forward a few years, and my kids got their own thrill watching me unpack the RoseArt Extreme Air Brush Studio. Unlike my brother’s untouchable set, this one was all for them.

The Extreme Air Brush Studio comes with a motorized pump, a sprayer, 15 Super Tip Markers, 5 stencil sheets, and a handy caddy to store the markers, pump, and sprayer in. You can be set up and ready to go in minutes, provided you remember to have 4 C batteries on hand … or a neighbor who graciously lets you borrow some.

Elena and Eli spent the rest of a rainy, blustery afternoon taking turns airbrushing to their hearts’ content. Elena sent a picture to her friends and soon had requests rolling in for her to airbrush her friends’ names as well. (It’s the 80s all over again – everyone has to have one!)

Eli needs some assistance, mostly in getting the marker into the sprayer. In fact, that would be my only gripe about the product – it does take some effort to get the marker in the sprayer just right. If it’s not in far enough it won’t spray, but if it’s in too far it bubbles out instead of spraying a fine mist. Still, he enjoys using it and experimenting with different techniques for different effects. As an emerging writer, I can see the benefit of the sprayer in helping with coordination and fine-motor skills, as well as being a fun tool to encourage reluctant writers to practice letters and numbers.

Elena doesn’t need any help getting the markers inserted properly, and it didn’t take her long to start churning out some really cool pieces.

Besides gauging how much help a child needs with a product, my other concern is always the mess factor. I’ll admit, I was a little apprehensive about letting the kids loose with something that sprays paint. I’ve been very pleasantly surprised at how un-messy the air brush actually is. The spray is very direct, and the color dries almost instantly. Of course you’d want to make sure your child doesn’t aim directly for walls, pets, or other things you don’t want painted, but as far as errant spray getting on the table or clothing? Not an issue at all.

If you’re looking for a screen-free holiday gift for a crafty 6 to 12 year-old, the RoseArt Extreme Air Brush Studio would be a hit. You can find it locally at most Wal-Mart stores as well as on Amazon. Stay tuned for a great Black Friday deal on this item at Wal-Mart – I’ll be posting it on Facebook as soon as I have the details. This year is RoseArt’s 90th anniversary, and they’re celebrating by hosting a Facebook sweepstakes where participating fans are eligible to win weekly gift cards and prize packs, as well as a $1,000 VISA gift card for holiday spending. Enter on the RoseArt Facebook page through 12/21/13.

In the meantime, we’ll be airbrushing away and eagerly awaiting the time when the good folks at RoseArt come up with a fabric air brush kit, so I can finally get some more of those t-shirts I always wanted.